04. Comparison of the Constitutional Standard with the “voting rights” in the constitutions of various countries

(1) Switzerland has had the highest per capita income in the world during the past 100 years among medium-to-large countries (population more than eight million), and each citizen voted “9 times” at the polling station every year

i. Zurich citizens participated in “elections” (federal/state/municipal/regional/community elections), with more than 17 types of voting, and held a total of 92 elections (2003-2019), an average of 5.41 elections were voted per year

Election item Voting date Nos
National house election Oct. 19, 2003; Oct. 21, 2007; Oct. 23, 2011; Oct. 18, 2015; Oct. 20, 2019 5
Federal house election

Dec. 10, 2003; Jun. 14, 2006; Oct. 21, 2007; Nov. 25, 2007; Dec. 12, 2007; Dec. 10, 2008; Sep. 16, 2009; Sep. 22, 2010; Oct. 23, 2011;

Nov. 27, 2011; Dec. 14, 2011; Oct. 18, 2015; Nov. 22, 2015; Dec. 9, 2015; Dec. 20, 2017; Oct. 20, 2019; Nov. 17, 2019

17
Zurich cantonal assembly Apr. 6, 2003; Apr. 15, 2007; Apr. 3, 2011; Apr. 12, 2015; Mar. 24, 2019 5
Zurich cantonal

government elections

Apr. 6, 2003; Jul. 9, 2006; Apr. 15, 2007; Nov. 29, 2009; Apr. 3, 2011; Apr. 12, 2015; Mar. 24, 2019 7
Zurich city council election Feb. 12, 2006; Mar. 7, 2010; Feb. 9, 2014; Mar. 4, 2018 4
Zurich city council election Feb. 12, 2006; Mar. 7, 2010; Feb. 9, 2014; Mar. 4, 2018 4
Election of city government officials and city administrators Feb. 12, 2006; Mar. 7, 2010; Feb. 9, 2014; Mar. 4, 2018 4
Election of justice of peace Nov. 26, 2006; Jun. 17, 2007; Nov. 25, 2007; Feb. 8, 2009; Mar. 29, 2009; Mar. 8, 2015; Nov. 26, 2017; Sep. 1, 2019 8
School authorities election

May. 16, 2004; Sep. 26, 2004; Feb. 27, 2005; Jun. 5, 2005; May. 21, 2006; Jun. 17, 2007; Nov. 25, 2007; Feb. 24, 2008; Jun. 1, 2008; Sep. 28, 2008; May. 17, 2009; Jun. 13, 2010; Sep. 26, 2010; Jun.9, 2013; May. 18, 2014; Jul. 6, 2014; Nov. 22, 2016; Feb. 12, 2017; May. 21, 2017; Jun. 10, 2018; Jul. 15, 2018; May. 19, 2019; Sep. 1, 2019

23
Zurich district council members by-election Feb. 12, 2006 1
Zurich district court by-election Sep. 24, 2006; Mar. 11, 2007 2
Zurich regional constituency by-election Sep. 24, 2006 1
Roman Catholic Church elections Mar. 11, 2007 1
Evangelical Reformed

Church election

Mar. 11, 2007 1
Parish/District council

election

Feb. 12, 2006; Mar. 7, 2010; Feb. 9, 2014; Mar. 4, 2018 4
Election of governor of the Zurich region Feb. 8, 2009 1
Public testifier Feb. 12, 2006; Mar. 7, 2010; Feb. 9, 2014; Mar. 4, 2018 4

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, City government of Zurich (Jan. 2019)—https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/portal/de/index/politik_u_recht/abstimmungen_u_wahlen/archiv_wahlen.html

ii. Zurich citizens participated in “referendums” (national/state/municipal/district/community referendum), an average of 3.82 referendums were held each year

Year Voting date No of issues
2003 Feb. 9, May. 18, Sep. 7, Nov. 30 30
2004 Feb. 8, May. 16, Sep. 26, Nov. 28 23
2005 Feb. 27, Jun. 5, Sep. 25, Nov. 27 22
2006 May. 21, Sep. 24, Nov. 26 14
2007 Mar. 11, Jun. 17, Nov. 25 19
2008 Feb. 24, Jun. 1, Sep. 28, Nov. 30 35
2009 Feb. 28, May. 17, Sep. 27, Nov. 29 25
2010 Mar. 7, Jun. 13, Sep. 26, Nov. 28 30
2011 Feb. 13, May. 15, Sep. 4, Nov. 27 37
2012 Mar. 11, Jun. 17, Sep. 23, Nov. 25 38
2013 Mar. 3, Jun. 9, Sep. 22, Nov. 24 29
2014 Feb. 9, May. 18, Sep. 28, Nov. 30 24
2015 Mar. 8, Jun. 14, Nov. 22 18
2016 Feb. 28, Jun. 5, Sep. 25, Nov. 27 31
2017 Feb. 12, May. 21, Sep. 24, Nov. 26 29
2018 Jun. 10, Sep. 23, Nov. 25 31
2019 Feb. 10, Mar. 4, May. 19, Sep. 1, Nov. 17 15

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, Zurich Statistics Office (Jan. 2019)—https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/prd/de/index/statistik/publikationen-angebote/datenbanken-anwendungen/abstimmungsdatenbank.html

iii. Electronic voting system of Switzerland

State name System
Consortium System The system was first developed by Canton of Zurich. Nine cantons continue to participate in development. Since 2010, Fribourg, Solothurn, Canton of Aargaus, Schaffhausen, Gaozhou, St. Gallen and Canton of Grisons have been conducting experiments based on this system. Since 2015, the cantons of Zurich and Glarus have also adopted this system.
Geneva System Canton of Basel-Stadt (since 2009), Canton of Lucerne (since 2010) and Canton of Berne (since 2012) have also conducted trials with electronic voting.
Neuchatel System The Neuchâtel system is only used in Neuchatel itself. It is different from the other two systems: the combination of business such as electronic voting is provided from the “Guichet Unique” online portal.

There are 10 cantons offering electronic voting in 2019, and the cantons have a choice of two electronic voting systems: Geneva’s system and Swiss Post’s system. At the meeting of the Federal Council on Apr. 28, 2021, the consultation process to readjust the operation of the electronic voting test was activated. On May. 25, the Federal Council brought into force the partially revised Political Rights Regulation (VPR). The Federal Chancellery Ordinance on Electronic Voting (VEleS) also entered into force. On this basis, cantons can again apply to the Federal Council to provide electronic voting as part of a trial run, available to 30% of cantons and 10% of Swiss voters. When calculating the limit, Swiss voters abroad and voters with disabilities are not included in the special target group for electronic voting. The new legal foundation increases transparency requirements, mandates disclosure of information about systems and their operation, and mandates that public participation, such as the obligation to run a permanent bug bounty program, is regulated.

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, the Swiss Authorities Online—https://www.ch.ch/de/abstimmungen-und-wahlen/e-voting/#e-voting-in-anderen-staaten

(2) Local government in large countries such as California (U.S.A.) has the highest level of per capita income (population 40 million), and each citizen voted “11 times” at the polling station every year

i. State level — California state elections

(i) California citizens participated in “elections” (federal/state/local/municipal/public school district board elections, recall), with more than 20 types of voting, and held a total of 63 elections (2003-2019), an average of 3.15 elections were voted per year

Property Election project Election date
Legislative

primary election

President

Mar. 2, 2004; Jun. 6, 2006;

Feb. 5, 2008; Jun. 8, 2010;

Jun. 5, 2012; Jun. 7, 2016;

Mar. 3, 2020

Legislative primary election US Senator, US Representative, state senator, state assembly

member

Mar. 2, 2004; Jun. 6, 2006;

Jun. 3, 2008; Jun. 8, 2010;

Jun. 5, 2012; Jun. 7, 2016;

Mar. 3, 2020; Jun. 7, 2022

Administrative primary

election

State executive,

municipal government

Jun. 6, 2006; Jun. 8, 2010;

Jun. 3, 2014; Jun. 5, 2018;

Jun. 7, 2022

Judicial primary election State Supreme Court justices,

state Intermediate Appellate Court judges, local judges

Jun. 6, 2006; Jun. 8, 2010;

Jun. 3, 2014; Jun. 5, 2018;

Jun. 7, 2022

Legislative

general election

President

Nov. 2, 2004; Nov. 7, 2006;

Nov. 4, 2008; Nov. 2, 2010;

Nov. 6, 2012; Nov. 8, 2016;

Nov. 3, 2020

Legislative general election US Senator, US Representative, state senator, state assembly

member

Nov. 2, 2004; Nov. 7, 2006;

Nov. 4, 2008; Nov. 2, 2010;

Nov. 6, 2012; Nov. 8, 2016;

Nov. 3, 2020

Administrative general election State executive, municipal government

Nov. 7, 2006; Nov. 2, 2010;

Nov. 4, 2014; Nov. 6, 2018;

Nov. 8, 2022

State judicial general election State Supreme Court justices, State Intermediate Appellate Court Judges, Local Judges

Nov. 7, 2006; Nov. 2, 2010;

Nov. 4, 2014; Nov. 6, 2018;

Nov. 8, 2022

Special legislative election US Senator Nov. 8, 2022
Special legislative election US Representative

Mar. 8, 2005; Dec. 6, 2005;

Jun. 6, 2006; Aug. 21, 2007;

Apr. 8, 2008; Jul. 14, 2009;

Nov. 3, 2009; Jul. 12, 2011;

Jun. 6, 2017; May 12, 2020;

Jun. 7, 2022

Special legislative election State senator primary & general Election

Jun. 6, 2006; May. 19, 2009;

Jun. 8, 2010; Aug. 17, 2010;

Jan. 4, 2011; Feb. 15, 2011;

Jan. 8, 2013; Mar. 2, 2013;

Jul. 23, 2013; Sep. 17, 2013;

Mar. 25, 2014; Dec. 9, 2014;

Mar. 17, 2015; May. 19, 2015;

Aug. 7, 2018; Jun. 4, 2019;

May 12, 2020; Mar. 2, 2021

Special legislative election State assembly

member primary & general election

Sep. 13, 2005; May. 15, 2007;

Feb. 5, 2008; Sep. 1, 2009;

Jan. 12, 2010; Jun. 8, 2010;

May. 3, 2011; May. 21, 2013;

Jul. 23, 2013; Nov. 19, 2013;

Dec. 3, 2013; Apr. 5, 2016;

Dec. 5, 2017; Apr. 3, 2018;

Jun. 5, 2018; Apr. 6, 2021;

May 18, 2021; Aug. 31, 2021;

Feb. 15, 2022; Apr. 5, 2022;

Apr. 19, 2022; Jun. 7, 2022

Recall Governor* Oct. 7, 2003; Sep. 14, 2021
Public education School boards**

Nov. 5, 2013; Apr. 8, 2014;

Jun. 3, 2014; Aug. 12, 2014;

Nov. 4, 2014; May. 19, 2015;

Nov. 3, 2015; Apr. 12, 2016;

Jun. 7, 2016; Nov. 8, 2016;

Mar. 7, 2017; Apr. 4, 2017;

Apr. 11, 2017; Apr. 18, 2017;

May. 16, 201; Nov. 7, 2017;

Apr. 10, 2018; Nov. 6, 2018;

Mar. 5, 2019; May. 7, 2019;

Nov. 5, 2019; Nov. 3, 2020;

Nov. 2, 2021; Nov. 8, 2022

*Recall efforts: city councils, city officials, county commissions, county officials, mayors/presidents, school boards, sheriffs, special districts, state executives, and state legislatures. This information is not included in the election day statistics.

**The statistical time for public school districts and county offices of education is from 2013 to 2022, with a total of 24 elections. This information is not included in the election day statistics.

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, California Secretary of State, Voter Information Guides, https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voter-information-guides

(ii) California citizens participated in “referendums” (state referendums, local referendums), with an average of 9.7 referendums held per year. From 2003 to 2022, for 20 consecutive years, 194 polls were held, with an average of 9.7 polls per year, 161 questions in the state, and 6,082 questions in the 58 counties in the local referendum.

Year Initiatives, referenda and propositions (state and local ballot measures, including the city of Los Angeles vote)
2003 Feb. 4, Oct. 7
2004 Mar. 2, Aug. 24, Nov. 2
2005 Mar. 8, Jun. 7, Nov. 8
2006 Mar. 7, Apr. 11, May. 2, Jun. 6, Nov. 7
2007 Mar. 6, May. 7, Nov. 6
2008 Feb. 5, Mar. 4, Apr. 8, Jun. 3, Jun. 24, Jul. 22, Aug. 26, Nov. 4
2009 Jan. 13, Feb. 24, Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Apr. 21, May. 5, May. 19, Jun. 2, Jun. 9, Jun. 16, Jun. 23, Jun. 30, Jul. 21, Aug. 4, Aug. 25, Aug. 28, Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Dec. 8, Dec. 15
2010 Feb. 2, Feb. 23, Mar. 2, Mar. 9, Apr. 13, May. 4, May. 25, Jun. 8, Jun. 15, Jun. 22, Jul. 13, Aug. 24, Aug. 31, Sep. 21, Nov. 2
2011 Jan. 25, Mar. 1, Mar. 8, Apr. 5, Apr. 12, May. 3, Jun. 7, Jun. 21, Jul. 12, Jul. 21, Aug. 30, Nov. 8, Nov. 15, Nov. 22
2012 Feb. 7, Mar. 6, Mar. 13, Apr. 6, Apr. 10, Apr. 17, May. 1, May. 8, Jun. 5, Jul. 10, Aug. 28, Sep. 18, Nov. 6
2013 Mar. 5, Mar. 12, Apr. 2, Apr. 9, May. 7, May. 21, Jun. 4, Jun. 11, Jun. 18, Jul. 2, Jul. 16, Aug. 27, Nov. 5, Nov. 19
2014 Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Mar. 4, Apr. 8, May. 6, Jun. 3, Jul. 8, Sep. 2, Nov. 4
2015 Jan. 6, Feb. 24, Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Mar. 24, Apr. 14, Apr. 15, May. 5, May. 19, Jun. 2, Jun. 23, Aug. 25, Sep. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Nov. 17, Dec. 8, Dec. 15
2016 Jan. 26, Feb. 23, Mar. 8, Apr. 12, Apr. 19, May. 3, Jun. 7, Aug. 30, Nov. 8
2017 Jan. 10, Feb. 28, Mar. 7, Mar. 28, Apr. 4, Apr. 11, Apr. 25, May. 2, May. 9, May. 16, Jun. 6, Jun. 30, Jul. 11, Jul. 25, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, Oct. 17, Nov. 7
2018 Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 27, Mar. 6, Apr. 10, May. 8, Jun. 5, Jul. 24, Sep. 18, Nov. 6
2019 Feb. 26, Mar. 5, Mar. 19, Mar. 26, Apr. 9, May. 7, Jun. 4, Aug. 27, Nov. 5
2020 Mar. 3, Apr. 14, May. 5, Jun. 2, Jun. 23, Aug. 25, Nov. 3
2021 Mar. 2, May. 4, Jun. 8, Jun. 29, Aug. 31, Sep. 14, Nov. 2, Dec. 14, Dec. 21
2022 Apr. 12, May. 3, Jun. 7, Aug. 30, Nov. 8

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, California Secretary of State, Statewide Election Results, https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results

ii. Municipal - Los Angeles City Civic Elections

(i) Project of civic participation in legislative, administrative and judicial elections for Los Angeles citizens

Level Legislative Seat Term of office (Year)
Federal U.S. President 1 4
Federal U.S. Senator 2 6
Federal U.S. Representative 53 2
State State Senator 40 4
State Member of the Assembly 80 2
County Los Angeles county board of supervisors 5 4
City Los Angeles city council member 15 4
Level Administrative Seat Term of office (Year)
State Governor 1 4
State Lieutenant Governor 1 4
State Attorney General 1 4
State Secretary of State 1 4
State Treasurer 1 4
State Controller 1 4
State Superintendent Public Inst 12 4
State Board of Equalization 1 4
State Insurance Commissioner 1 4
County Board of Supervisors 5 4
County Sheriff 1 4
County Community College Board 1 4
County Assessor 1 4
City LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Member of the Board of Education 7 4
City Mayor 1 4
City City Attorney 1 4
City City Auditor 1 4
City City Treasurer 1 4
Level Judicial Seat Term of office (Year)
State Judge Superior Court 7 12
State Appellate Court Justices 106 12
County Judge Superior Court 490 6

Cal. Const. art. IV § 2 (a) (4)—During her or his lifetime a person may serve no more than 12 years in the Senate, the Assembly, or both, in any combination of terms. This subdivision shall apply only to those Members of the Senate or the Assembly who are first elected to the Legislature after the effective date of this subdivision and who have not previously served in the Senate or Assembly. Members of the Senate or Assembly who were elected before the effective date of this subdivision may serve only the number of terms allowed at the time of the last election before the effective date of this subdivision.
Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, California Constitution, Office of the City Clerk, Municipal Elections, https://www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections/current-elections/election-results/live-results

(ii) Los Angeles citizens voting date (mayor, city council, council committee, city superintendent, city attorney

Year Voting date
2015 Mar. 3, Mar. 10, Mar. 17, May. 19, Nov. 3
2014 Mar. 4, Mar. 25, Jun. 3, Aug. 5, Aug. 12, Nov. 4, Dec. 9
2013 Mar. 3, Mar. 5, Mar. 12, May. 14, May. 21, Jun. 23, Jul. 23, Sep. 17, Sep. 24, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Dec. 3
2012 Jan. 17, Mar. 13, Jun. 5, Nov. 6, Dec. 3
2011 Feb. 15, Mar. 8, May. 17, Jul. 12, Nov. 8
2010 Apr. 13, May. 4, May. 25, Jun. 8, Nov. 2
2009 Mar. 3, Mar. 24, Apr. 21, May. 5, May. 19, Jun. 23, Jun. 30, Jul. 14, Sep. 1, Sep. 22, Nov. 3, Dec. 8
2008 Feb. 5, Jun. 3, Nov. 4, Nov. 28, Dec. 9
2007 Mar. 6, May. 15, Jun. 5, Jun. 12, Jun. 26, Aug. 21, Sep. 25, Nov. 6, Dec. 11
2006 Mar. 7, Apr. 4, Jun. 6, Nov. 7
2005 Mar. 8, May. 17, Nov. 8
2004 Mar. 2, Nov. 2
2003 Jan. 28, Mar. 4, Apr. 15, May. 20, Jun. 3, Sep. 23, Oct. 7, Nov. 4
2002 Mar. 5, Jun. 4, Nov. 5, Nov. 26
2001 Mar. 6, Apr. 10, Apr. 20, May. 15, Jun. 5, Sep. 11, Oct. 23, Nov. 6, Dec. 11
2000 Jan. 11, Mar. 7, Jun. 6, Jun. 20, Nov. 7
1999 Mar. 3, Apr. 13, Apr. 20, Jun. 8, Nov. 2, Dec. 14
1998 Jan. 13, Apr. 14, Jun. 2, Jul. 28, Nov. 3
1997 Apr. 1, Jun. 1, Jun. 3, Nov. 4, Nov. 18
1996 Mar. 26, Nov. 5, Nov. 22

Made by PPP. Source: PPP database, Office of the City Clerk, Municipal Elections, https://www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections/current-elections/election-results/live-results

iii. U.S. states implement an online electronic registration system for voter identification

Registration requirements for general voters

1. American Citizen

2. 18 years of age and above

3. Completing general voter registration at the place of residence or online

voter registration

Sources of Constitution

Constitution §1 (Voter Qualification Clause), Constitutional Amendment §1,

Constitutional Amendment §14 (Equal Protection Clause),

Constitutional Amendment §15, Constitutional Amendment §17, Constitutional Amendment §19, Constitutional Amendment §23, Constitutional Amendment §24, Constitutional Amendment §26

Federal Law

Voting Rights Act of 1965, Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and

Handicapped Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, National Voter Registration Act of 1993, Help America Vote Act of 2002

State Year

enacted

Bill number Year

implemented

Alabama n/a No legislation required 2016
Alaska n/a No legislation required 2015
Arizona n/a No legislation required 2002
California 2011 SB 397 2012
Colorado 2009 HB 1160 2010
Connecticut 2012 HB 5024 2014
Delaware n/a No legislation required 2014
District of Columbia n/a No legislation required 2015
Florida 2015 SB 228 2017
Georgia 2012 SB 92 2014
Hawaii 2012 HB 1755 2015
Idaho 2016 SB 1297 2017
Illinois 2013 HB 2418 2014
Indiana 2009 HB 1346 2010
Iowa n/a No legislation required 2016
Kansas n/a No legislation required 2009
Kentucky n/a No legislation required 2016
Louisiana 2009 HB 520 2010
Maine 2021 HB 804 2023 (anticipated)
Maryland 2011 HB 740 2012
Massachusetts 2014 HB 3788 2015
Michigan 2018 SB 425 2019
Minnesota 2014 HF 2096 2013
Missouri n/a No legislation required 2014
Nebraska 2014 LB 661 2015
Nevada 2011 AB 82 2012
New Jersey 2020 SB 589 2020
New Mexico 2015 SB 643 2016
New York 2019 AB 2005 (2019) 2011 (no legislation at the time)
North Carolina n/a No legislation required 2020
Ohio 2016 SB 63 2017
Oklahoma 2015 SB 313 2018 (Phase I)
Oregon 2009 HB 2386 2010
Pennsylvania 2002 SB 607 2015
Rhode Island 2016 SB 2513 2017
South Carolina 2012 HB 4945 2012
Tennessee 2016 SB1626/HB1472 2017
Utah 2009 SB 25 2010
Vermont n/a No legislation required 2015
Virginia 2013 HB 2341 2013
Washington 2007 HB 1528 2008
West Virginia 2013 SB 477 2015
Wisconsin 2016 SB 295 2017

1. Minnesota made online voter registration available without enabling legislation in 2013, but the legislature authorized the state’s system in 2014.

2. In Missouri, residents can register to vote online and electronically provide a signature using a mobile device, tablet computer or touchscreen computer, but not a standard desktop computer. The state reviews the information and prints out the registration form, which it sends to the person’s local elections office for verification.

3. New York first established an online voter registration system in 2011, but the registration system at the time was not fully paperless. Voters could submit a voter registration application online, through a system run by the Department of Motor Vehicles, but paper was exchanged between the motor vehicle system and the statewide database. In 2019, AB 2005 was enacted, requiring an electronic voter registration transmittal system and creating a fully online voter registration system.

4. In Oklahoma, the first phase of implementation allows previously registered voters to update their address of residence (if it is in the same county as their previous address), mailing address or party affiliation online. Voters who are not registered must complete and submit a paper registration form.

Made by PPP. Source: National Conference of National Legislatures

https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/electronic-or-online-voter-registration.aspx