Abstract:

Swiss citizens are expected to vote on six to ten weekends per year, of which four are reserved for national topics. Normally several themes are presented jointly as so-called "multi-packs". Abstention from the ballot-box is growing and reaches in some areas 70-80% average participation is 40-50%. This induced the Research Institute of the Swiss Society for applied Social Research and the Center for Political Research at the University of Berne to cooperate in devising representative post-studies on all federal votings. Under the trademark VOX since spring 1977 such analyses - based on samples of 700 and standardised methods - are carried out and given free of charge to government and political authorities. Free access to all results as well as strict neutrality are guaranteed.