# 1908 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1908. The Free Democratic Party retained its majority in the National Council.

## Electoral system

The 167 members of the National Council were elected in 49 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 Aargau at 83.1% (higher than the 80% in Schaffhausen, where voting was compulsory) and lowest in Zug at 16.1%.
| | Free Democratic Party | 202,732 | 50.91 | 105 | +1 |
| | Catholic People's Party | 81,733 | 20.52 | 34 | –1 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 70,003 | 17.58 | 7 | +5 |
| | Liberal Centre | 23,597 | 5.93 | 16 | –3 |
| | Democratic Group | 14,414 | 3.62 | 5 | –1 |
| | Others | 5,745 | 1.44 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 398,224 | 100.00 | 167 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 398,224 | 93.32 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 28,528 | 6.68 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 426,752 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 809,508 | 52.72 | | |
| Source: Mackie & Rose, BFS (seats) ||||||

### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Party | Seats won | Elected members |
| Zürich 1 | 9 | Free Democratic Party | 8 | Jakob Lutz Emil Zürcher Friedrich Fritschi Alfred Frey Walter Bissegger Ulrich Meister Jr. Albert Studler Theodor Frey |
| Zürich 1 | 9 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Herman Greulich |
| Zürich 2 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Johann Rudolf Amsler Heinrich Hess Samuel Wanner Karl August Koller |
| Zürich 2 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Johann Jakob Abegg |
| Zürich 3 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Rudolf Geilinger Friedrich Ottiker Emil Stadler Sr. Eduard Sulzer |
| Zürich 3 | 5 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Friedrich Studer |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Konrad Hörni Jakob Walder David Ringger |
| Bern 5 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 5 | Emil Lohner Arnold Gottlieb Bühler Johann Friedrich Michel Johann Jakob Rebmann Johannes Ritschard |
| Bern 6 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Johann Hirter Johann Jenny Eugen Huber Jakob Scheidegger |
| Bern 6 | 6 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Gustav König Ernst Wyss |
| Bern 7 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Fritz Zumstein Fritz Bühlmann Adolf Müller Johann Jakob Schär |
| Bern 8 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Arnold Gugelmann Michael Hofer Friedrich Buri |
| Bern 8 | 4 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | August Rikli |
| Bern 9 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Jakob Freiburghaus Johannes Zimmermann Eduard Will Alfred Moll |
| Bern 10 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Virgile Rossel Albert Gobat Albert Locher |
| Bern 11 | 3 | Catholic Right | 2 | Joseph Choquard Ernest Daucourt |
| Bern 11 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Henri Simonin |
| Lucerne 12 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Peter Knüsel Otto Sidler Hermann Heller |
| Lucerne 13 | 2 | Catholic Right | 3 | Josef Anton Balmer Candid Hochstrasser |
| Lucerne 14 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Heinrich Walther Dominik Fellmann |
| Uri 15 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Gustav Muheim |
| Schwyz 16 | 3 | Catholic Right | 2 | Josef Anton Ferdinand Büeler Vital Schwander Sr. |
| Schwyz 16 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Kaspar Knobel |
| Obwalden 17 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Peter Anton Ming |
| Nidwalden 18 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Karl Niederberger |
| Glarus 19 | 2 | Democratic Group | 2 | Eduard Blumer David Legler |
| Zug 20 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Klemens Iten |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Constant Dinichert |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Louis de Diesbach |
| Fribourg 22 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Max de Diesbach Charles de Wuilleret |
| Fribourg 23 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Eugène Grand Alphonse Théraulaz |
| Solothurn 24 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Jakob Zimmermann Eduard Bally Max Studer Adrian von Arx Sr. |
| Solothurn 24 | 5 | Catholic Right | 1 | Franz Josef Hänggi |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Emil Göttisheim Christian Rothenberger Johann Emil Müry |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 6 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Paul Speiser Isaak Iselin-Sarasin |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 6 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Alfred Brüstlein |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Jakob Buser Johannes Suter |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Democratic Group | 1 | Albert Schwander |
| Schaffhausen 27 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Carl Spahn Robert Grieshaber |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Arthur Eugster Hermann Altherr |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Howard Eugster |
| Appenzell Innerhoden 29 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Adolf Steuble |
| St. Gallen 30 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Karl Emil Wild Albert Mächler |
| St. Gallen 30 | 3 | Democratic Group | 1 | J. A. Scherrer-Füllemann |
| St. Gallen 31 | 3 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Gebhard Lutz Carl Zurburg |
| St. Gallen 31 | 3 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich Scherrer |
| St. Gallen 32 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Baptist Schubiger Emil Grünenfelder |
| St. Gallen 33 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Carl Hilty Ernst Wagner Robert Forrer |
| St. Gallen 34 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Othmar Staub Thomas Holenstein Sr. |
| Grisons 35 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Anton Caflisch Eduard Walser Andrea Vital |
| Grisons 35 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Alfred von Planta |
| Grisons 35 | 5 | Catholic Right | 1 | Johann Schmid |
| Aargau 36 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Rudolf Suter Arnold Künzli Alwin Weber |
| Aargau 37 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Hans Müri Conradin Zschokke Max Alphonse Erismann |
| Aargau 38 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Jakob Nietlispach |
| Aargau 39 | 3 | Catholic Right | 2 | Franz Xaver Eggspühler Alfred Wyrsch |
| Aargau 39 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Friedrich Brunner |
| Thurgau 40 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Heinrich Häberlin Carl Eigenmann Adolf Germann Jakob Müller |
| Thurgau 40 | 6 | Democratic Group | 1 | Emil Hofmann |
| Thurgau 40 | 6 | Catholic Right | 1 | Alfons von Streng |
| Ticino 41 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Achille Borella Romeo Manzoni Francesco Vassalli |
| Ticino 41 | 4 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Mario Ferri |
| Ticino 42 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Alfredo Pioda Giuseppe Stoffel |
| Ticino 42 | 3 | Catholic Right | 1 | Giuseppe Motta |
| Vaud 43 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Isaac Oyex Alphonse Dubuis Félix Bonjour Émile Gaudard |
| Vaud 43 | 7 | Liberal Centre | 3 | Alois de Meuron Alexandre Emery Édouard Secretan |
| Vaud 44 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Ernest Chuard Camille Decoppet Jules Roulet Jean Cavat |
| Vaud 45 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Henri Thélin Juste Lagier Eugène Bugnon |
| Valais 46 | 4 | Catholic Right | 4 | Alexander Seiler Joseph Kuntschen Sr. Raymond Evéquoz Charles de Preux |
| Valais 47 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Eugène de Lavallaz |
| Valais 47 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Maurice Pellissier |
| Neuchâtel 48 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 5 | Louis Perrier Paul-Ernest Mosimann Louis-Alexandre Martin Jules-Albert Piguet Henri Calame |
| Neuchâtel 48 | 6 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Jules Calame |
| Geneva 49 | 7 | Liberal Centre | 4 | Théodore Turrettini Gustave Ador Jacques Rutty Alfred Georg |
| Geneva 49 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | François Besson Henri Fazy Jules-François Perréard |
| Source: Gruner ||||||