The Swiss have launched an app that provides background information as well as the results of all votes nationwide – including some dating back to the 1800s.
On Monday, the federal and cantonal authorities unveiled VoteInfo, which helps users educate themselves about upcoming votes and check the results over the course of a vote day. It’s also possible to explore archives that go back as far as 1981 at the federal level, and even farther in the cases of some cantons, like Zurich (1831).
In addition, users get a reminder to go out and vote. Vice Chancellor André Simonazzi describes it as a “typical e-government project”. He also tweeted about it:
VoteInfo will publish interim results from noon on vote days and update them regularly until the final results are available. The cantons automatically transmit their results to the Federal Statistical OfficeExternal link, and the results are also continuously published as open government data at www.opendata.swissExternal link.
The Federal ChancelleryExternal link developed the app with the assistance of the statistics office and in close cooperation with canton Zurich. The latter already has experience with the “Züri stimmt” app, which is now being replaced by VoteInfo. The free new app is available for iOS and Android.
The app is available in German, French, Italian and Romansh. At the moment, the language of the app depends on the language of an individual smartphone. An upcoming release should allow users to choose the language, a spokesperson for the chancellery told swissinfo.ch on Tuesday.
Its development cost CHF150,000 ($153,000). In addition, there will be operating costs of around CHF100,000 a year.
What VoteInfo doesn’t do is offer information on candidates running for election. That’s the domain of smartvoteExternal link, which provides questionnaires to help people decide which candidates to vote for.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
In Switzerland, New Year brings ‘burqa ban’ and pension hikes
Have you heard something about Swiss diplomacy that you’d like us to fact check?
Not all information circulating about Switzerland’s foreign relations is accurate or well understood. Tell us what you'd like us to fact check or clarify.
Swiss scientists discover unusual zones in Earth’s mantle
This content was published on
Using high-resolution models to study the Earth's mantle, scientists have identified zones of rocks in the lower mantle that are colder, or have a different composition, than surrounding rocks.
Egyptian diplomat’s murder: prosecutor calls for acquittal of defendant’s girlfriend
This content was published on
The Swiss attorney general has called for the girlfriend of the main defendant in the case of the assassination of an Egyptian diplomat in Geneva in 1995 to be acquitted. The woman is charged with complicity.
Low-cost e-tailers Temu and Shein put Swiss retail sector under pressure
This content was published on
Most Swiss retailers are concerned by the stiff competition from China's low-cost online platforms Temu and Shein, according to a survey.
This content was published on
More and more offices are standing empty in Switzerland's major cities. Nevertheless, new office constructions are likely to increase in the future, a study shows.
Zoos should consider culling surplus animals to regulate populations, say researchers
This content was published on
Researchers from the University of Zurich say zoos must rethink population management and allow animals to reproduce naturally - zoos should then cull surplus animals.
Swiss billionaire Martin Haefner creates foundation
This content was published on
Martin Haefner, owner of the car importer Amag and one of Switzerland's richest citizens, has set up a foundation with his wife Marianne.
Swiss army cuts uniform distribution to save millions
This content was published on
Members of the Swiss Armed Forces will only receive a distinctive grey dress uniform, the famous "Tenü A", for representational purposes in the future as a cost-cutting measure to save CHF55 million.
Swiss, Danish tourists among three dead in Australian plane crash
This content was published on
A light aircraft crashed during take-off from a tourist island in Western Australia, killing three people including Swiss and Danish tourists and injuring three others, authorities said on Wednesday.
Presidents of Ukraine and Switzerland discuss future meeting
This content was published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Swiss counterpart, Karin Keller-Sutter, have held talks by phone to prepare a future bilateral meeting, it was announced on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss abroad submit petition over e-voting
This content was published on
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) has handed in a petition calling for electronic voting to be made available to all overseas Swiss by 2021.
Foreigner voting rights: broad variety of opinions
This content was published on
What do swissinfo.ch readers make of the idea of granting foreigners in Switzerland the right to take part in votes and elections?
This content was published on
A study confirms what might be expected: that postage-paid envelopes help boost the number of mail-in ballots in Swiss votes.
When it comes to voting, Swiss youth shun technology
This content was published on
Although they may be tied to technology for many other things, young voters look to their parents or teachers for political information before going online, says the latest political monitor study from the Swiss youth vote advocacy organisation EasyVote. Nor do young voters’ top concerns differ much from those of their older counterparts. Discussions about…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.