EU citizens denied right to vote in Swiss cantonal elections

A test case initiative in canton Vaud giving foreign residents the right to vote on cantonal issues and be elected to political office was turned down in September 2011. Cantonal voters rejected the 'Live and vote here' initiative by 68.9% on the 4 September 2011. In most Swiss cantons foreign residents cannot vote at either communal or cantonal level, but a patchwork of exceptions exists.

If it had passed, the western canton would have become the first in Switzerland to give foreign residents full cantonal voting rights as well as the chance to stand for local parliament, government and cantonal Senate seats.

Swissinfo.ch, 5.9.11: Vaud refuses to extend foreigner voting rights http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/internal_affairs/Vaud_refuses_to_extend_foreigner_voting_rights.html?cid=31060934

---