# 1917 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 28 October 1917. The Free Democratic Party retained its majority in the National Council. They were the last elections held under the majoritarian system; following a referendum in 1918 in which two-thirds of voters voted for the introduction of proportional representation, the electoral system was changed and early elections held in 1919.

## Electoral system

The 189 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 Schaffhausen (where voting was compulsory) at 86.8% and lowest in Uri at 23.4%.
| | Free Democratic Party | 210,323 | 40.84 | 103 | –9 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 158,450 | 30.77 | 20 | +2 |
| | Conservative People's Party | 84,784 | 16.46 | 42 | +5 |
| | Liberal Democratic Party | 25,188 | 4.89 | 12 | –4 |
| | Democratic Group | 16,818 | 3.27 | 7 | +3 |
| | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 19,459 | 3.78 | 4 | +3 |
| | Others | 19,459 | 3.78 | 1 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 515,022 | 100.00 | 189 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 515,022 | 94.04 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 32,630 | 5.96 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 547,652 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 915,552 | 59.82 | | |
| Source: Mackie & Rose, BFS (seats) ||||||

### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Party | Seats won | Elected members |
| Zürich 1 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 7 | Emil Zürcher Alfred Frey Albert Meyer Jakob Lutz Friedrich Fritschi Robert Schmid John Syz |
| Zürich 2 | 5 | Social Democratic Party | 5 | Herman Greulich August Huggler Anton Rimathé Robert Grimm Fritz Platten |
| Zürich 3 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Heinrich Hess Theodor Odinga Karl August Koller Emil Rellstab |
| Zürich 3 | 5 | Liberal Party | 1 | Johann Rudolf Amsler |
| Zürich 4 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Hans Sträuli Carl Jakob Sulzer Carl Bertschinger Emil Hardmeier |
| Zürich 4 | 5 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Friedrich Studer |
| Zürich 5 | 3 | Democratic Group | 2 | David Ringger Johann Konrad Hörni |
| Zürich 5 | 3 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 1 | Friedrich Bopp |
| Bern 6 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 6 | Robert Stucki Emil Lohner Arnold Gottlieb Bühler Hermann Schüpbach Johann Jakob Rebmann Johann Friedrich Michel |
| Bern 7 | 7 | Social Democratic Party | 3 | Gustav Müller Emil Düby Oskar Schneeberger |
| Bern 7 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Felix Koch Johann Jenny Johann Hirter |
| Bern 7 | 7 | Liberal Party | 1 | Fritz Burren |
| Bern 8 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Johann Jakob Schär Fritz Bühlmann Friedrich Minder Carl Moser |
| Bern 9 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Friedrich Buri Michael Hofer |
| Bern 9 | 4 | Social Democratic Party | 2 | August Rikli Hermann Brand |
| Bern 10 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Alfred Moll Karl Scheurer Jakob Freiburghaus Eduard Will |
| Bern 10 | 5 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Arnold Knellwolf |
| Bern 11 | 3 | Social Democratic Party | 2 | Émile Ryser Achille Grospierre |
| Bern 11 | 3 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Xavier Jobin |
| Bern 12 | 3 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Joseph Choquard Ernest Daucourt |
| Bern 12 | 3 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Maurice Goetschel |
| Lucerne 13 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Gustav Schaller Peter Knüsel Ferdinand Steiner |
| Lucerne 14 | 2 | Conservative People's Party | 3 | Eduard Häfliger Josef Anton Balmer |
| Lucerne 15 | 3 | Conservative People's Party | 3 | Heinrich Walther Dominik Fellmann Franz Moser-Schär |
| Uri 16 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Martin Gamma |
| Schwyz 17 | 3 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Anton von Hettlingen Josef Anton Ferdinand Büeler |
| Schwyz 17 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Martin Steinegger |
| Obwalden 18 | 1 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Peter Anton Ming |
| Nidwalden 19 | 1 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Hans von Matt Jr. |
| Glarus 20 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | Eduard Blumer |
| Glarus 20 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich Jenny |
| Zug 21 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Hermann Stadlin |
| Fribourg 22 | 2 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Eugène Descheneaux |
| Fribourg 22 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Hermann Liechti |
| Fribourg 23 | 5 | Conservative People's Party | 4 | Jean-Marie Musy Franz Boschung Charles de Wuilleret Eugène Grand |
| Fribourg 23 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | A.-F.-L. Cailler |
| Solothurn 24 | 6 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Siegfried Hartmann August Kurer |
| Solothurn 24 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Hermann Obrecht Friedrich Stuber |
| Solothurn 24 | 6 | Social Democratic Party | 2 | Hans Affolter Jacques Schmid |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Christian Rothenberger Emil Göttisheim |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Liberal Party | 1 | Paul Speiser |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 1 | Rudolf Gelpke |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Democratic Group | 1 | Karl-Oskar Schär |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Johannes Frei |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 7 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Ernst Feigenwinter |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Gustav Adolf Seiler Hermann Straumann Albert Grieder |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 4 | Independent | 1 | Heinrich Strub |
| Schaffhausen 27 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Carl Spahn Robert Grieshaber |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Arthur Eugster Johannes Eisenhut |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Howard Eugster |
| Appenzell Innerhoden 29 | 1 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Adolf Steuble |
| St. Gallen 30 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Karl Emil Wild Eduard Scherrer Albert Mächler |
| St. Gallen 30 | 4 | Democratic Group | 1 | J. A. Scherrer-Füllemann |
| St. Gallen 31 | 4 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Carl Zurburg Johann Baptist Eisenring |
| St. Gallen 31 | 4 | Democratic Group | 1 | Heinrich Otto Weber |
| St. Gallen 31 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Ernst Schmidheiny |
| St. Gallen 32 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Gallus Schwendener Ernst Wagner Robert Forrer |
| St. Gallen 33 | 2 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Emil Grünenfelder Johann Baptist Schubiger |
| St. Gallen 34 | 2 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Othmar Staub Thomas Holenstein Sr. |
| Grisons 35 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Eduard Walser Johann Anton Caflisch Paul Raschein Sr. Andrea Vital |
| Grisons 35 | 6 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Alois Steinhauser Johann Schmid |
| Aargau 36 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Otto Hunziker Johann Rudolf Suter Alwin Weber |
| Aargau 37 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Hans Siegrist Heinrich Eugen Abt Emil Keller Arthur Widmer |
| Aargau 38 | 1 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Jakob Nietlispach |
| Aargau 39 | 4 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Alfred Wyrsch Franz Xaver Eggspühler |
| Aargau 39 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Gustav Adolf Ursprung Joseph Jäger |
| Thurgau 40 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Oskar Ullmann Heinrich Häberlin Jakob Zingg Jakob Müller |
| Thurgau 40 | 7 | Democratic Group | 1 | Emil Hofmann |
| Thurgau 40 | 7 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Alfons von Streng |
| Thurgau 40 | 7 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 1 | Carl Eigenmann |
| Ticino 41 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Emilio Bossi Achille Borella Francesco Vassalli |
| Ticino 41 | 4 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Antonio Luigi Riva |
| Ticino 42 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Brenno Bertoni Evaristo Garbani-Nerini |
| Ticino 42 | 4 | Conservative People's Party | 2 | Giuseppe Cattori Alfonso Chicherio |
| Vaud 43 | 8 | Free Democratic Party | 5 | Paul Maillefer Émile Gaudard Henri Chenaux Henri Bersier Gustave Bettex |
| Vaud 43 | 8 | Liberal Party | 3 | Alois de Meuron Robert Cossy Max de Cérenville |
| Vaud 44 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Ernest Chuard Henri Grobet Louis Reymond Fritz Bosset |
| Vaud 44 | 5 | Liberal Party | 1 | Armand Piguet |
| Vaud 45 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | John-Henri Mermoud Alfred Jaton |
| Vaud 45 | 3 | Liberal Party | 1 | Jean Yersin |
| Valais 46 | 4 | Conservative People's Party | 4 | Joseph Kuntschen Sr. Alexander Seiler Raymond Evéquoz Victor Petrig |
| Valais 47 | 2 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Jules Tissières |
| Valais 47 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Eugène de Lavallaz |
| Neuchâtel 48 | 7 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Paul-Ernest Mosimann Auguste Leuba Henri Calame |
| Neuchâtel 48 | 7 | Liberal Party | 2 | Eugène Bonhôte Otto de Dardel |
| Neuchâtel 48 | 7 | Social Democratic Party | 2 | Charles Naine Ernest-Paul Graber |
| Geneva 49 | 8 | Liberal Party | 3 | Horace Micheli Albert-Édouard Maunoir Frédéric-Jules de Rabours |
| Geneva 49 | 8 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Henri Fazy Marc-Ernest Peter Jean-Marc Rochaix |
| Geneva 49 | 8 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Jean Sigg |
| Geneva 49 | 8 | Conservative People's Party | 1 | Firmin Ody |
| Source: Gruner ||||||