Electoral Management Design Database

The Federal Chancellery is responsible for general organization of national elections. 

Switzerland, Federal Act on Political Rights of 17 December 1976 (status as of 23 October 2022) [unofficial translation], accessed 19 December 2023

Art. 10(1) Organisation

The Federal Council shall determine the rules by which polling days are appointed. In doing so, it shall take account of the requirements of those eligible to vote, parliament, the cantons, the parties and the agencies responsible for effecting service of voting documents, and shall avoid any collisions of dates that may result from differences between the calendar year and the church year.

1bis The Federal Council shall determine, four months prior to the polling day at the latest, which proposals are to be submitted to the vote of the People. This period of four months may be reduced in the case of federal acts that have been declared to be urgent. […]

Art. 15 Validation and publication of the result of the vote

1. The Federal Council shall ascertain the result of the vote (validation) as soon as it is established that no appeal against the vote has been filed with the Federal Supreme Court, or as soon as a decision has been made on such an appeal. […]

Art. 16 Allocation of seats to the cantons […]

2. Based on the binding figures for the resident population in accordance with Article 13 of the Census Act of 22 June 2007, the Federal Council shall make a binding decision on the number of seats to be allocated to each canton in the follow general election to the National Council. […]