# 1939 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 29 October 1939. The Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest party in the National Council, winning 49 of the 187 seats. Due to the outbreak of World War II, there were no elections in nine of the 25 cantons; Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Schwyz, Solothurn, Ticino, Valais, Vaud and Zug. In what became known as "silent elections", a total of 55 candidates were elected unopposed.

## Results
### National Council

| | Social Democratic Party | 160,377 | 25.93 | 45 | –5 |
| | Free Democratic Party | 128,163 | 20.72 | 49 | +1 |
| | Conservative People's Party | 105,018 | 16.98 | 43 | +1 |
| | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 91,182 | 14.74 | 22 | +1 |
| | Alliance of Independents | 43,735 | 7.07 | 9 | +2 |
| | Young Farmers | 27,708 | 4.48 | 3 | –1 |
| | Social-Political Group | 16,891 | 2.73 | 5 | +2 |
| | Communist Party | 15,962 | 2.58 | 4 | +2 |
| | Liberal Socialist Party | 10,865 | 1.76 | 1 | +1 |
| | Liberal Democratic Party | 10,241 | 1.66 | 6 | 0 |
| | Evangelical People's Party | 5,726 | 0.93 | 0 | –1 |
| | Other parties | 2,665 | 0.43 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 618,533 | 100.00 | 187 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 618,533 | 96.67 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 21,332 | 3.33 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 639,865 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 861,266 | 74.29 | | |
| Source: Mackie & Rose, Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

#### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Electorate | Turnout | Party | Votes | Seats won |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Social Democratic Party | 258,919 | 5 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Conservative People's Party | 168,606 | 3 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 113,270 | 2 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Free Democratic Party | 125,232 | 2 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Young Farmers | 41,663 | 0 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Ring of Independents | 34,097 | 0 |
| Aargau | 12 | 75,509 | 67,271 | Evangelical People's Party | 27,075 | 0 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 1 | 3,501 | 2,153 | Conservative People's Party | 1,640 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Social Democratic Party | 18,841 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Free Democratic Party | 16,448 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Liberal Socialist Party | 11,522 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Basel Farmers' Party, Free Democrats and Independents | 8,864 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Conservative People's Party | 8,767 | 1 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Young Farmers | 2,788 | 0 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Communist Party | 1,617 | 0 |
| Basel-Landschaft | 4 | 28,207 | 17,788 | Action Committee for Breaking the Interest Bondage | 259 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Social Democratic Party | 81,452 | 2 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Ring of Independents | 34,711 | 2 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Liberal Democratic Party | 34,202 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Free Democratic Party | 32,087 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Conservative People's Party | 25,373 | 1 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Communist Party | 22,784 | 0 |
| Basel-Stadt | 7 | 51,833 | 35,833 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 14,869 | 0 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 1,421,518 | 10 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Social Democratic Party | 1,351,567 | 10 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Free Democratic Party | 674,258 | 5 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Young Farmers | 458,062 | 3 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Conservative People's Party | 267,642 | 2 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Ring of Independents | 169,046 | 1 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Liberal Socialist Party | 123,477 | 0 |
| Bern | 31 | 209,052 | 148,467 | Communist Party | 24,891 | 0 |
| Fribourg | 7 | 40,945 | 28,485 | Conservative People's Party | 118,997 | 5 |
| Fribourg | 7 | 40,945 | 28,485 | Free Democratic Party | 51,815 | 2 |
| Fribourg | 7 | 40,945 | 28,485 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 24,003 | 0 |
| Geneva | 8 | 50,172 | 31,849 | Social Democratic Party | 90,591 | 3 |
| Geneva | 8 | 50,172 | 31,849 | Free Democratic Party | 81,438 | 3 |
| Geneva | 8 | 50,172 | 31,849 | Liberal Democratic Party | 42,836 | 1 |
| Geneva | 8 | 50,172 | 31,849 | Conservative People's Party | 34,276 | 1 |
| Glarus | 2 | 10,148 | 7,828 | Social-Political Group | 6,495 | 1 |
| Glarus | 2 | 10,148 | 7,828 | Social Democratic Party | 4,496 | 1 |
| Glarus | 2 | 10,148 | 7,828 | Free Democratic Party | 4,242 | 0 |
| Grisons | 6 | 37,409 | 28,325 | Social-Political Group | 64,095 | 3 |
| Grisons | 6 | 37,409 | 28,325 | Conservative People's Party | 56,059 | 2 |
| Grisons | 6 | 37,409 | 28,325 | Free Democratic Party | 28,669 | 1 |
| Grisons | 6 | 37,409 | 28,325 | Social Democratic Party | 15,939 | 0 |
| Lucerne | 9 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 5 |
| Lucerne | 9 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 3 |
| Lucerne | 9 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Neuchâtel | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 3 |
| Neuchâtel | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 2 |
| Neuchâtel | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Liberal Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Nidwalden | 1 | 4,463 | 3,180 | Conservative People's Party | 1,430 | 1 |
| Obwalden | 1 | 5,461 | 2,275 | Conservative People's Party | 1,535 | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 15,692 | 13,896 | Social Democratic Party | 11,620 | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 15,692 | 13,896 | Free Democratic Party | 9,271 | 1 |
| Schaffhausen | 2 | 15,692 | 13,896 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 5,502 | 0 |
| Schwyz | 3 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 2 |
| Schwyz | 3 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Solothurn | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 3 |
| Solothurn | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 2 |
| Solothurn | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 2 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Conservative People's Party | 317,244 | 6 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Free Democratic Party | 213,143 | 4 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Social Democratic Party | 128,964 | 2 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Ring of Independents | 59,579 | 1 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Association of Free Democrats | 38,509 | 0 |
| St. Gallen | 13 | 77,171 | 64,614 | Young Farmers | 35,309 | 0 |
| Ticino | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 3 |
| Ticino | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 2 |
| Ticino | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social-Political Group | | 1 |
| Ticino | 7 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 39,298 | 31,485 | Social Democratic Party | 49,323 | 2 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 39,298 | 31,485 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 42,542 | 2 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 39,298 | 31,485 | Conservative People's Party | 36,987 | 1 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 39,298 | 31,485 | Free Democratic Party | 36,796 | 1 |
| Thurgau | 6 | 39,298 | 31,485 | Young Farmers | 13,991 | 0 |
| Uri | 1 | 6,979 | 4,091 | Free Democratic Party | 3,448 | 1 |
| Vaud | 15 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 6 |
| Vaud | 15 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 4 |
| Vaud | 15 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Liberal Democratic Party | | 3 |
| Vaud | 15 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | | 2 |
| Valais | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 4 |
| Valais | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Valais | 6 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Social Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Zug | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Conservative People's Party | | 1 |
| Zug | 2 | Elected unopposed | Elected unopposed | Free Democratic Party | | 1 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Social Democratic Party | 1,306,638 | 10 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Ring of Independents | 724,715 | 5 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 574,284 | 5 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Free Democratic Party | 517,470 | 4 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Social-Political Group | 338,508 | 2 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Conservative People's Party | 287,214 | 2 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Liberal Socialist Party | 111,943 | 0 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Young Farmers | 104,068 | 0 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Communist Party | 98,114 | 0 |
| Zürich | 28 | 205,426 | 152,325 | Evangelical People's Party | 97,178 | 0 |
| Source: Bundesblatt, 29 November 1939 ||||||||

### Council of the States

In several cantons the members of the Council of the States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.
| | Swiss Conservative People's Party | 18 | –1 |
| | Free Democratic Party | 14 | –1 |
| | Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents | 4 | +1 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 3 | 0 |
| | Liberal Democratic Party | 2 | 0 |
| | Social-Political Group | 0 | 0 |
| | Other parties | 3 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 44 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||