Votes and elections

The dates

There are federal votes four times a year. The Sundays are reserved years in advance. Which items come to a vote on a given date is decided by the Federal Council at the latest four months beforehand.

As at 2026-09-16. Source: Federal Chancellery.

A reserved date does not mean a vote will actually take place. The date is only certain once the Federal Council has decided the items.

What is coming up

September 27, 2026: Popular initiative on safeguarding Swiss neutrality (Neutrality Initiative); Popular initiative for secure food supply (Food Initiative) | October 24, 2027: General election, National Council and Council of States

Elections

The National Council and the Council of States are renewed in full every four years, next on 24 October 2027. Council of States elections are run by the cantons under cantonal law, not by the Confederation.

The Federal Council is not elected by the people but by the United Federal Assembly. The full renewal takes place each December after the National Council elections. By-elections happen only on a resignation, with no fixed calendar.

Sources and status

This page is generated from a file when the site is built, not queried live. The Federal Chancellery is always authoritative.

• Bundeskanzlei, Blanko-Abstimmungstermine (bk.admin.ch)
• Der Bundesrat, Kuenftige Abstimmungstermine und haengige Vorlagen (admin.ch)
• Bundesgesetz ueber die politischen Rechte, Art. 10 Abs. 1bis
• Verordnung ueber die politischen Rechte, Art. 2a