1939 Swiss federal election

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Wikipedia

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1939.[1] The Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 49 of the 187 seats.[2] Due to the outbreak of World War II, there were no elections in nine of the 25 cantons; Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Valais, Vaud and Zug.[3] In what became known as "silent elections", a total of 55 candidates were elected unopposed.[3]

Results

National Council

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party160,37725.9345–5
Free Democratic Party128,16320.7249+1
Conservative People's Party105,01816.9843+1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents91,18214.7422+1
Alliance of Independents43,7357.079+2
Young Farmers27,7084.483–1
Social-Political Group16,8912.735+2
Communist Party15,9622.584+2
Liberal Socialist Party10,8651.761+1
Liberal Democratic Party10,2411.6660
Evangelical People's Party5,7260.930–1
Other parties2,6650.4300
Total618,533100.001870
Valid votes618,53396.67
Invalid/blank votes21,3323.33
Total votes639,865100.00
Registered voters/turnout861,26674.29
Source: Mackie & Rose,[4] Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency Seats Electorate Turnout Party Votes Seats
won
Aargau 12 75,509 67,271 Social Democratic Party 258,919 5
Conservative People's Party 168,606 3
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 113,270 2
Free Democratic Party 125,232 2
Young Farmers 41,663 0
Ring of Independents 34,097 0
Evangelical People's Party 27,075 0
Appenzell Ausserrhoden 2 Elected unopposed Social Democratic Party 1
Free Democratic Party 1
Appenzell Innerrhoden 1 3,501 2,153 Conservative People's Party 1,640 1
Basel-Landschaft 4 28,207 17,788 Social Democratic Party 18,841 1
Free Democratic Party 16,448 1
Liberal Socialist Party 11,522 1
Basel Farmers' Party, Free Democrats and Independents 8,864 1
Conservative People's Party 8,767 1
Young Farmers 2,788 0
Communist Party 1,617 0
Action Committee for Breaking the Interest Bondage 259 0
Basel-Stadt 7 51,833 35,833 Social Democratic Party 81,452 2
Ring of Independents 34,711 2
Liberal Democratic Party 34,202 1
Free Democratic Party 32,087 1
Conservative People's Party 25,373 1
Communist Party 22,784 0
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 14,869 0
Bern 31 209,052 148,467 Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 1,421,518 10
Social Democratic Party 1,351,567 10
Free Democratic Party 674,258 5
Young Farmers 458,062 3
Conservative People's Party 267,642 2
Ring of Independents 169,046 1
Liberal Socialist Party 123,477 0
Communist Party 24,891 0
Fribourg 7 40,945 28,485 Conservative People's Party 118,997 5
Free Democratic Party 51,815 2
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 24,003 0
Geneva 8 50,172 31,849 Social Democratic Party 90,591 3
Free Democratic Party 81,438 3
Liberal Democratic Party 42,836 1
Conservative People's Party 34,276 1
Glarus 2 10,148 7,828 Social-Political Group 6,495 1
Social Democratic Party 4,496 1
Free Democratic Party 4,242 0
Grisons 6 37,409 28,325 Social-Political Group 64,095 3
Conservative People's Party 56,059 2
Free Democratic Party 28,669 1
Social Democratic Party 15,939 0
Lucerne 9 Elected unopposed Conservative People's Party 5
Free Democratic Party 3
Social Democratic Party 1
Neuchâtel 6 Elected unopposed Social Democratic Party 3
Free Democratic Party 2
Liberal Democratic Party 1
Nidwalden 1 4,463 3,180 Conservative People's Party 1,430 1
Obwalden 1 5,461 2,275 Conservative People's Party 1,535 1
Schaffhausen 2 15,692 13,896 Social Democratic Party 11,620 1
Free Democratic Party 9,271 1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 5,502 0
Schwyz 3 Elected unopposed Conservative People's Party 2
Free Democratic Party 1
Solothurn 7 Elected unopposed Free Democratic Party 3
Social Democratic Party 2
Conservative People's Party 2
St. Gallen 13 77,171 64,614 Conservative People's Party 317,244 6
Free Democratic Party 213,143 4
Social Democratic Party 128,964 2
Ring of Independents 59,579 1
Association of Free Democrats 38,509 0
Young Farmers 35,309 0
Ticino 7 Elected unopposed Conservative People's Party 3
Free Democratic Party 2
Social-Political Group 1
Social Democratic Party 1
Thurgau 6 39,298 31,485 Social Democratic Party 49,323 2
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 42,542 2
Conservative People's Party 36,987 1
Free Democratic Party 36,796 1
Young Farmers 13,991 0
Uri 1 6,979 4,091 Free Democratic Party 3,448 1
Vaud 15 Elected unopposed Free Democratic Party 6
Social Democratic Party 4
Liberal Democratic Party 3
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 2
Valais 6 Elected unopposed Conservative People's Party 4
Free Democratic Party 1
Social Democratic Party 1
Zug 2 Elected unopposed Conservative People's Party 1
Free Democratic Party 1
Zürich 28 205,426 152,325 Social Democratic Party 1,306,638 10
Ring of Independents 724,715 5
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents 574,284 5
Free Democratic Party 517,470 4
Social-Political Group 338,508 2
Conservative People's Party 287,214 2
Liberal Socialist Party 111,943 0
Young Farmers 104,068 0
Communist Party 98,114 0
Evangelical People's Party 97,178 0
Source: Bundesblatt, 29 November 1939

Council of the States

In several cantons the members of the Council of the States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.[5]

PartySeats+/–
Swiss Conservative People's Party18–1
Free Democratic Party14–1
Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents4+1
Social Democratic Party30
Liberal Democratic Party20
Social-Political Group00
Other parties3+1
Total440
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

  1. ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1895 ISBN 9783832956097
  2. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1953
  3. 1 2 Nohlen & Stöver, p1948
  4. ↑ Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan
  5. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1956