Swiss Review 6/2018

Swiss Review / November 2018 / No.6 26 news.admin.ch Federal elections 2019: The official election portal is online ch.ch/elections2019 is the link to the official election platform for the federal elections of 2019. The website will be updated regularly with information for the electorate and candidates until the election results are published. It also contains a section for Swiss Abroad. An important vote is set to take place next year. On 20October 2019, Swiss voterswill elect themembers of the National Council andCoun- cil of States (Switzerland’s two chambers of parliament) for the 2019- 2023 legislative period. A few weeks ago the Federal Administration launched an infor- mation portal for citizens. The portal is jointly operated by the Fed- eral Chancellery and ch.ch, thewebsite of the Confederation, the can- tons and the communes. ch.ch/elections2019 already contains a section with detailed in- formation from each canton about all those standing as candidates for the National Council or Council of States. General information about the organisation of the elections of both chambers, an election dictionary, a FAQ page and a quiz about the elections, where you can test your knowledge of the elections, can be found online. During theelectoral year, newcontentwill continuouslybeuploaded to ch.ch/elections2019: In the springof 2019, detailedexplanations of the electoral arrangements for the National Council and Council of States will be published for each canton. The portal features answers to ques- tions like: When will I receive the election materials and who should I contact if I don’t receive them?; How do I fill in the ballot paper?; What mistakes should I avoid?; Who is eligible to vote?; Where and when can I vote?, and Do I need to register in order to vote? The website also con- tains practical information on howpeople with disabilities can vote. On 20 October 2019, the results of the elections to the National Council and the Council of States will be published on ch.ch/elec- tions2019 , in cooperation with the Federal Statistical Office. Swiss Abroad may also participate in the federal elections. There is a special section for the “Fifth Switzerland” on ch.ch/elections2019 , which will be updated regularly with useful information for candi- dates as well as the electorate, in each case per canton. The electorate can also obtain information about the elections via multimedia resources, such as interactive diagrams, illustrations and especially explanatory videos. The official voting guide for the Na- tional Council elections completes the offer. The portal ch.ch/elections2019 is available in five languages (Ger- man, French, Italian, Romansh and English). All explanatory videos are also available in sign language, allowing deaf and hearing im- paired people to follow the election explanations. In addition, the con- tent is adapted to the needs of the blind and visually impaired. Federal referendums Proposals submitted to a popular vote are determined by the Federal Council at least four months before the voting date. The following proposal will be put to the vote on 10 February 2019: ■ ■ Stop urban sprawl – for sustainable urban development (Urban sprawl initiative) Other voting dates in 2019: 19 May, 20 October, 24 November All information on the proposals (voting pamphlets, committees, recommendations by parliament and the Federal Council, electronic voting, etc.) can be found at www.admin.ch/votes. For information about the National Council elections of 20 October 2019, visit www.ch.ch/en/elections2019 Popular initiatives The following federal popular initiative has been launched at the time of going to press (deadline for the collection of signatures in brackets): ■ ■ ‘For lower premiums – a cost brake in the healthcare system’ (16.04.2020) The list of pending popular initiatives can be found in German at www.bk.admin.ch > Politische Rechte > Volksinitiativen > Hängige Volksinitiativen ✆ from Switzerland +41 800 24 7 365 ✆ from abroad +41 58 465 33 33 E-Mail: helpline@eda.admin.ch Skype: helpline-eda www.eda.admin.ch/reisehinweise ✆ from Switzerland +41 800 24 7 365 ✆ from abroad +41 58 465 33 33 www.twitter.com/travel_edadfae Online registration for Swiss citizens travelling abroad www.fdfa.admin.ch/itineris App available for free for iOS and Android Travel advice Plan well. Travel well.