, according to their population. Within the district
all representatives, if there are more than one, are chosen on a
general ticket, and the individual elector has a right to vote for a
number of candidates equal to the number of seats to be filled. The
quota of representatives falling to the various cantons under this
arrangement varies from one in Uri and in Zug to twenty-two in Zuerich
and twenty-nine in Bern. Every canton and each of the six half-cantons
is entitled to at least one deputy. The total number in 1911 was 189.
The electorate consists of all male Swiss who have attained their (p. 427)
twentieth year and who are in possession of the franchise within
their respective cantons. The establishment of electoral districts, as
well as the regulation of the conduct of federal elections, has been
accomplished, under provision of the constitution, by federal statute.
Voting is in all cases by secret ballot, and elections take place
always on the same day (the last Sunday in October) throughout the
entire country. An absolute majority of the votes cast is necessary
for election, save that, following two unsuccessful attempts to
procure such a majority within a district, at the third trial a simple
plurality is sufficient. Except that no member of the clergy may be
chosen, every citizen in possession of the federal franchise is
eligible to a seat in the National Council.[625] Members receive a
small salary, which is proportioned to days of actual attendance and
paid out of the federal treasury.

[Footnote 625: This denial of clerical eligibility
was inspired by fear of Catholic influences.]

At each regular or extraordinary session the National Council chooses
from among its members a president, a vice-president, and four
tellers, under the provision, however, that a member who during a
regular session has held the office of president is ineligible either
as president or vice-president at the ensuing regular session, and
that the same member may not be vice-president during two consecutive
regular sessions. In all elections within the National Council the
president participates as any other member; in legislative matters he
possesses a vote only in the event of a tie. The president,
vice-president, and tellers together comprise the "bureau" of the
Council, by which most of the committees are nominated, votes are
counted, and routine business is transacted.[626]