Materials to accompany an application for registration

ORDINANCE ONPOLITICAL RIGHTS

(Adopted 1978; last amended 2012)

http://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19780105/index.html

5. Abschnitt: Volksinitiative

Art. 23 Vorpr?fung

(1) Reichen Initianten einen Initiativtext inmehreren Amtssprachen zur Vorpr?fung ein, so haben sie der Bundeskanzleimitzuteilen, welche Fassung f?r Textanpassungen massgebend ist.

(2) Reichen sie den Initiativtext in nur einerAmtssprache ein, so übersetzt ihn die Bundeskanzlei, sobald die Initianten denText als endg?ltig bezeichnet haben.

(3) S?mtliche Urheber der Initiative best?tigengegenüber der Bundeskanzlei durch eigenh?ndige Unterschrift ihre Mitgliedschaftim Initiativkomitee. Entsprechende Formulare k?nnen bei der Bundeskanzleiunentgeltlich bezogen werden.

FEDERAL ACT ONPOLITICAL RIGHTS

(Adopted 1976; last amended 2009)

http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/161_1/index.html

Title 2. Votes

Art. 11 Proposals submitted toa vote of the People, ballot papers and explanatory statements

(1) The Confederation shall provide thecantons with the proposals to be submitted to a vote of the People and theballot papers.

(2) Each proposal shall be accompanied by a short, objective explanation fromthe Federal Council, which shall also take account of the opinions ofsignificant minorities. The proposal must contain the wording of the questionson the ballot paper. In thecase of popular initiatives and referendums, the initiative committee shallinform the Federal Council of their arguments and the Federal Council shalltake such arguments into account in its explanatory statement. TheFederal Council may amend or reject defamatory, blatantly false or excessivelylong statements. References to electronic sources may be included in theexplanatory statement only if the author of the references declares in writingthat none of the content of the sources is illegal and that the sources are notlinked to electronic publications with illegal content.

Title 5: ThePopular Initiative

Art. 68 Signaturelists

(1) Thesignature list (on forms, sheets of paper or cards) that is used to collectsignatures for a popular initiative must contain the following information:

a.      the canton and the politicalcommune in which the signatory is eligible to vote;

b.     the title and text of the initiative, together with the date of itspublication in the Federal Gazette;

c.      a withdrawal clause within themeaning of Article 73;

d.     reference to the fact thatanyone who falsifies the result of a signature collection for a popularinitiative (Art. 282 SCC) or who offers or accepts bribes in connectionwith a signature collection (Art. 281 SCC) commits an offence;

e.     the names and addresses of a minimum of seven and a maximum of 27authors of the initiative, all of whom must be eligible to vote (the initiativecommittee).

Art. 69Preliminary examination

(1)The Federal Chancelleryshall declare in a ruling before the collection of signatures is begun whetherthe signature list corresponds to the form prescribed by law.

(2) Where the title of an initiative ismisleading, or if it contains commercial advertising or personal publicity orgives rise to confusion, it shall be amended by the Federal Chancellery.

(3) The Federal Chancellery shall examine the texts ofthe initiative in all official languages to ensure that they correspond andshall undertake any translation work thereon that is required.

(4) Thetitle and text of the initiative, together with the names of the authors shallbe published in the Federal Gazette.

OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT WEBSITE

https://www.ch.ch/en/popular-initiatives/

“How tolaunch an initiative

1. You first need to form an initiative committee, composed of between seven and twenty-seven persons who are entitled to vote.

2. The committee draws up the text of the initiative (which can be a proposal formulated in general terms or the final draft of a specific project) in German, French and Italian, along with a title. On request the Federal Chancellery will provide the committee with sample signature lists.

3. The text is submitted to the Federal Chancellery, where it is translated into the two (possibly three) other official languages. Having approved the translations, the committee provides the Federal Chancellery with a model signature list and with a written declaration in which the members attest to being on the initiative committee.

4. The Federal Chancellery checks that the text and title of the initiative conform with legal requirements and makes a decision on the basis of this preliminary consideration. The decision is published in the Federal Gazette…”