A three-part referendum was held in Switzerland on 4 October 1896.Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1905 Voters were asked whether they approved of each of the following proposals: a federal law on guarantees in the cattle trade, a federal law on the accounting system for the railways and a federal law on the disciplinary penal code for the federal army. Whilst the law on the railways was approved, the other two were rejected by voters.
Background The referendums were optional referendums, which required only a majority of the public vote,Nohlen & Stöver, p1891 rather than a majority of votes and cantons.
Results
Cattle trade guarantees law ChoiceVotes%For174,88045.5Against209,11854.5Blank votes20,483–Invalid votes6,827–Total411,308100Registered voters/turnout714,03357.6Source: Nohlen & Stöver
Railways accounting law ChoiceVotes%For223,22855.8Against176,57744.2Blank votes10,095–Invalid votes3,089–Total412,989100Registered voters/turnout714,03357.8Source: Nohlen & Stöver
Military penal code law ChoiceVotes%For77,16919.9Against310,99280.1Blank votes15,717–Invalid votes7,295–Total411,173100Registered voters/turnout714,03357.6Source: Nohlen & Stöver
References