# 1896 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1896. The Free Democratic Party retained its majority in the National Council.

## Electoral system

The 147 members of the National Council were elected in 52 single- and multi-member constituencies using a three-round system. Candidates had to receive a majority in the first or second round to be elected; if it went to a third round, only a plurality was required. 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 in proportion to their population.

## Results

Voter turnout was highest in Nidwalden at 90.3% (higher than the 89.3% in Schaffhausen where voting was compulsory) and lowest in Obwalden at 21.4%.
| | Free Democratic Party | 181,028 | 48.73 | 86 | +12 |
| | Catholic People's Party | 85,484 | 23.01 | 30 | +1 |
| | Liberal Centre | 54,012 | 14.54 | 23 | –4 |
| | Democratic Group | 19,946 | 5.37 | 7 | –9 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 25,304 | 6.81 | 1 | 0 |
| | Others | 5,750 | 1.55 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 371,524 | 100.00 | 147 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 371,524 | 93.29 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 26,701 | 6.71 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 398,225 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 713,367 | 55.82 | | |
| Source: Mackie & Rose, BFS (seats) ||||||

### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Party | Seats won | Elected members |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Jakob Amsler Ulrich Meister Jr. Johann Jakob Schäppi |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Hans Konrad Pestalozzi Konrad Cramer |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Democratic Group | 1 | Jakob Vogelsanger |
| Zürich 2 | 4 | Liberal Centre | 3 | Johann Jakob Abegg Heinrich Berchtold Hans Wunderli |
| Zürich 2 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich Hess |
| Zürich 3 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Rudolf Geilinger Emil Stadler Sr. Ludwig Forrer |
| Zürich 3 | 4 | Democratic Group | 1 | Albert Kündig |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Heinrich Kern Johannes Moser |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Heinrich Steinemann |
| Bern 5 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 5 | Matthäus Zurbuchen Arnold Gottlieb Bühler Johann Jakob Rebmann Franz Neuhaus Eduard Ruchti |
| Bern 6 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Johann Jenny Johann Hirter Theodor Sourbeck Friedrich Bürgi |
| Bern 6 | 5 | Evangelical Right | 1 | Edmund von Steiger |
| Bern 7 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Adolf Müller Fritz Bühlmann Gottfried Joost Gottlieb Berger |
| Bern 8 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Emil Moser Hans Dinkelmann Gottfried Bangerter Johann Rudolf Steinhauer |
| Bern 9 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Eduard Bähler Eduard Marti Johannes Zimmermann Jakob Freiburghaus |
| Bern 10 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Virgile Rossel Joseph Stockmar Albert Gobat |
| Bern 11 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Casimir Folletête Joseph-Auguste Boinay |
| Lucerne 12 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Hermann Heller Friedrich Degen |
| Lucerne 13 | 3 | Catholic Right | 3 | Josef Erni Candid Hochstrasser Theodor Schmid |
| Lucerne 14 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Dominik Fellmann Josef Anton Schobinger |
| Uri 15 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Franz Schmid |
| Schwyz 16 | 3 | Catholic Right | 3 | Josef Anton Ferdinand Büeler Vital Schwander Sr. Nikolaus Benziger |
| Obwalden 17 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Peter Anton Ming |
| Nidwalden 18 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Karl Niederberger |
| Glarus 19 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | Kaspar Schindler |
| Glarus 19 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Rudolf Gallati |
| Zug 20 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Klemens Iten |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Henri Schaller |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Constant Dinichert |
| Fribourg 22 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Paul Aeby Louis de Wuilleret |
| Fribourg 23 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Louis Grand Alphonse Théraulaz |
| Solothurn 24 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Joseph Gisi Wilhelm Vigier Albert Brosi |
| Solothurn 24 | 4 | Catholic Right | 1 | Joseph Anton Glutz |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Ernst Brenner Hermann Kinkelin |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Isaak Iselin-Sarasin |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Eugen Wullschleger |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Johannes Suter Jakob Buser |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Bauern- und Arbeiterbund | 1 | Walter Meyer |
| Schaffhausen 27 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Wilhelm Joos Robert Grieshaber |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Konrad Eisenhut Johann Conrad Sonderegger Johann Jakob Sonderegger |
| Appenzell Innerhoden 29 | 1 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Karl Justin Sonderegger |
| St. Gallen 30 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | J. A. Scherrer-Füllemann |
| St. Gallen 30 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Karl Emil Wild |
| St. Gallen 31 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Johann Gebhard Lutz |
| St. Gallen 31 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Christoph Tobler |
| St. Gallen 32 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Wilhelm Good Johann Baptist Schubiger |
| St. Gallen 33 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Johann Georg Berlinger Carl Hilty |
| St. Gallen 33 | 3 | Democratic Group | 1 | Carl Theodor Curti |
| St. Gallen 34 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Joseph Keel Othmar Staub |
| Grisons 35 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Peter Theophil Bühler |
| Grisons 35 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | Matthäus Risch |
| Grisons 36 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Caspar Decurtins |
| Grisons 36 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Alfred von Planta |
| Grisons 37 | 1 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Thomas von Albertini |
| Aargau 38 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Arnold Künzli Erwin Kurz Jakob Lüthy |
| Aargau 39 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Olivier Zschokke Hans Müri Max Alphonse Erismann |
| Aargau 40 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Jakob Nietlispach |
| Aargau 41 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Emil Albert Baldinger Albert Ursprung |
| Aargau 41 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Josef Jäger |
| Thurgau 42 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 3 | Friedrich Heinrich Häberlin Karl Alfred Fehr Gustav Merkle |
| Thurgau 42 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Josef Anton Koch Adolf Germann |
| Ticino 43 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Achille Borella Romeo Manzoni |
| Ticino 44 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Filippo Rusconi Alfredo Pioda Cesare Bolla Demetrio Camuzzi |
| Vaud 45 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Charles-Eugène Fonjallaz Louis Chausson Émile Gaudard |
| Vaud 45 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Charles Boiceau Paul Cérésole |
| Vaud 46 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Émile Paillard Jean Cavat Louis Déglon Adolphe Jordan |
| Vaud 47 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Juste Lagier Adrien Thélin |
| Vaud 47 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Louis-Charles Delarageaz |
| Valais 48 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Alfred Perrig Gustav Loretan |
| Valais 49 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Joseph Kuntschen Sr. |
| Valais 50 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Henri Bioley |
| Valais 50 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Émile Gaillard |
| Neuchâtel 51 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Robert Comtesse Louis-Alexandre Martin Charles-Émile Tissot Alfred Jeanhenry |
| Neuchâtel 51 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Jules Calame |
| Geneva 52 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Adrien Lachenal Henri Fazy Georges Favon Alfred Vincent |
| Geneva 52 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Gustave Ador |
| Source: Gruner ||||||