Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 26 October 1890. The Radical Left narrowly retained its majority in the National Council.Elections to the National Council 1848–1917: Distribution of seats by party or political orientation BFS
Electoral system The 147 members of the National Council were elected in 52 single- and multi-member constituencies using a three-round voting system of the Exhaustive ballot or a multiple-winner variant thereof. To be elected, in the first or second round a candidate or candidates had to receive a vote from a majority of the voters. If not all the seats were filled in the first or second round, it went to a third round. Again the least-popular candidate was eliminated but now only a plurality was required to determine the winner(s).
Voters could cast as many votes as there were seats in their constituency. There was one seat for every 20,000 citizens, with seats allocated to cantons based on that ratio.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1886
The elections were held under the new Federal law concerning the elections of National Council members passed on 20 June 1890. Following the 1888 census (which had been brought forward from 1890 in order to redraw the constituencies prior to the elections) the number of seats was increased from 145 to 147, whilst the number of constituencies was increased from 49 to 52; Basel-Stadt, St. Gallen and Zürich all gained one seat, whilst Ticino lost a seat.
Results National Council Voter turnout was highest in Schaffhausen (where voting was compulsory) at 94.3% and lowest in Schwyz at 35.6%.
By constituency ConstituencySeatsPartySeats wonElected membersZürich 16Liberal Centre3Democratic Group2Social Democratic Party1Jakob VogelsangerZürich 24Liberal Centre3Democratic Group1Johann Jakob KellerZürich 34Democratic Group4Zürich 43Democratic Group2Liberal Centre1Heinrich SteinemannBern 55Radical Left5Bern 65Radical Left5Bern 74Radical Left4Bern 84Radical Left2Bern People's Party1Ulrich BurkhalterLiberal Centre1Jakob Adolf RothBern 94Radical Left4Bern 103Radical Left3Bern 112Catholic Right1Joseph ChoquardRadical Left1Henri CuenatLucerne 122Radical Left2Lucerne 133Catholic Right3Lucerne 142Catholic Right2Uri 151Catholic Right1Franz SchmidSchwyz 163Catholic Right3Obwalden 171Catholic Right1Peter Anton MingNidwalden 181Catholic Right1Hans von Matt Sr.Glarus 192Democratic Group1Kaspar SchindlerLiberal Centre1Rudolf GallatiZug 201Catholic Right1Franz HedigerFribourg 212Radical Left1Friedrich Abraham StockCatholic Right1Georges PythonFribourg 222Catholic Right2Fribourg 232Catholic Right2Solothurn 244Radical Left3Liberal Centre1Bernard HammerBasel-Stadt 254Radical Left3Liberal Centre1Paul SpeiserBasel-Landschaft 263Radical Left3Schaffhausen 272Democratic Group1Wilhelm JoosRadical Left1Robert GrieshaberAppenzell Ausserrhoden 283Liberal Centre2Radical Left1Johann Conrad SondereggerAppenzell Innerhoden 291Catholic Right1J. B. E. DählerSt. Gallen 302Radical Left1Johannes BlumerDemocratic Group1J. A. Scherrer-FüllemannSt. Gallen 312Catholic Right1Johann Gebhard LutzEvangelical Right1Christoph ToblerSt. Gallen 322Catholic Right2St. Gallen 333Radical Left2Democratic Group1Eduard SteigerSt. Gallen 342Catholic Right2Grisons 352Liberal Centre1Peter Theophil BühlerDemocratic Group1Matthäus RischGrisons 362Catholic Right2Grisons 371Radical Left1Andrea BezzolaAargau 383Radical Left3Aargau 393Radical Left3Aargau 401Catholic Right1Robert WeissenbachAargau 413Liberal Centre3Thurgau 425Radical Left4Liberal Centre1Jakob Huldreich BachmannTicino 432Radical Left2Ticino 444Catholic Right4Vaud 455Radical Left5Vaud 464Radical Left4Vaud 473Radical Left3Valais 482Catholic Right2Valais 491Catholic Right1Joseph Kuntschen Sr.Valais 502Radical Left1Émile GaillardCatholic Right1Charles de WerraNeuchâtel 515Radical Left5Geneva 525Liberal Centre3Radical Left2Source: Gruner
Council of States
References