Foreign residents in Moutier gain voting rights before town joins canton Jura

Information for new foreign voters in Moutier Keystone-SDA

Foreign nationals living in Moutier – currently part of canton Bern – will be able to vote in local and cantonal elections this year, months before the town joins the canton of Jura on January 1, 2026.

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A total of 1,114 foreign residents have received an information booklet from the local authorities to help them understand their new political rights and how to take part in the democratic process.

+ Voting rights for foreigners: Why this right is rarely used

Unlike canton Bern, Jura allows foreign nationals to vote on cantonal issues – as long as they’ve lived in Switzerland for at least ten years and in canton Jura for at least one. The only exception is votes involving changes to the Constitution. Foreigners can also take part in communal votes, provided they meet certain conditions.

Foreign nationals from Moutier will be able to take part in political life under Jura’s rules. That means they’ll be eligible to vote in the Jura cantonal elections on October 19 – including choosing the five members of the cantonal government and the seven deputies representing the Moutier district.

These newly eligible voters will also be able to take part in two local ballots on the same day: one on the 2026 municipal budget and another on updated regulations for the town’s administrative structure.

+ Jura and Bern voters to decide Moutier’s fate

With Moutier’s move to canton Jura, the town’s electoral roll will expand to include 1,114 new voters.

Information campaign and public meeting

To help inform and encourage participation, the local council sent out an explanatory leaflet in mid-July. Titled “New political rights for foreign nationals – the essentials in brief”, the leaflet outlines the voting rights granted to foreign residents under Jura law.

A public information session is set to take place on August 18, with representatives from the Jura government. The right to vote for foreign residents was one of the key arguments put forward by supporters of Moutier’s move to canton Jura.

Translated from French with DeepL/sp

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