A micro-electromechanical systems device including a gating voltage control system for electrostatically actuating the micro-electromechanical systems device, wherein the device comprises an electrostatically responsive actuator movable through a gap (g) for actuating the device to a respective actuating condition corresponding to one of a first actuating condition and a second actuating condition, said control system comprising: a drive circuit electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the device to apply a gating voltage; and a controller electrically coupled to the drive circuit to control the gating voltage applied to the gating terminal by the drive circuit, the controller being configured to provide a gating voltage control sequence comprising a first interval for ramping up the gating voltage to a voltage level for producing an electrostatic force sufficient to accelerate the actuator through a portion of the gap (g) to be traversed by the actuator to reach a respective actuating condition, a second interval for ramping down the gating voltage to a level sufficient to reduce the electrostatic force acting on the movable actuator, thereby reducing the amount of force at which the actuator engages a contact for establishing the first actuating condition, or avoiding an overshoot position of the actuator while reaching the second actuating condition and a third interval for ramping up the gating voltage to a voltage level for producing an electrostatic force sufficient to maintain a desired amount of mechanical pressure between the actuator and the contact upon the actuator engaging the contact for establishing the first actuating condition; wherein the micro-electromechanical systems device is a switch, the first actuating condition is a closed switching condition and the second actuating condition is an open switching condition and the contact is a switching contact; the micro-electromechanical systems switch comprises an array of micro-electromechanical systems switches; and the controller is configured to provide that the gating voltage reached during the second interval is applied for a period of time sufficiently long to allow respective cantilever beams of the switching array to stabilize their respective positions with respect one another in the gap (g) prior to engaging a plurality of corresponding switch contacts. a drive circuit electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the device to apply a gating voltage; and a controller electrically coupled to the drive circuit to control the gating voltage applied to the gating terminal by the drive circuit, the controller being configured to provide a gating voltage control sequence comprising a first interval for ramping up the gating voltage to a voltage level for producing an electrostatic force sufficient to accelerate the actuator through a portion of the gap (g) to be traversed by the actuator to reach a respective actuating condition, a second interval for ramping down the gating voltage to a level sufficient to reduce the electrostatic force acting on the movable actuator, thereby reducing the amount of force at which the actuator engages a contact for establishing the first actuating condition, or avoiding an overshoot position of the actuator while reaching the second actuating condition and a third interval for ramping up the gating voltage to a voltage level for producing an electrostatic force sufficient to maintain a desired amount of mechanical pressure between the actuator and the contact upon the actuator engaging the contact for establishing the first actuating condition; wherein the micro-electromechanical systems device is a switch, the first actuating condition is a closed switching condition and the second actuating condition is an open switching condition and the contact is a switching contact; the micro-electromechanical systems switch comprises an array of micro-electromechanical systems switches; and the controller is configured to provide that the gating voltage reached during the second interval is applied for a period of time sufficiently long to allow respective cantilever beams of the switching array to stabilize their respective positions with respect one another in the gap (g) prior to engaging a plurality of corresponding switch contacts.