Election and voting consignments
Reliable delivery of election and voting documents
Service and features
As a reliable partner for the mailing of election and voting documents, Swiss Post offers the “election and voting consignment” service in addition to its traditional A Mail and B Mail shipping options. This service was specifically designed for mailing official election and voting documents and is aligned with the requirements for such consignments.
Key benefits:
- Greater flexibility when posting
- Minimum risk of damage
- No surcharge for special items
- No minimum quantities
- Free storage
You can post the election and voting documents on any working day in the calendar week before the legal deadline for delivery (posting week). Swiss Post ensures reliable delivery before the end of the subsequent calendar week (delivery week).
The “election and voting consignment” service is also available for cantonal and communal elections and votes or by-elections. The transport time for B Mail bulk consignments applies here.
Documents
Who is this service for?
The “election and voting consignment” service is intended for political municipalities and cantons which maintain a billing relationship with Swiss Post.
I do not currently have a billing relationship with Swiss Post and wish to set one up.
Important information
Transport time for federal elections and votes
| Posting day | Delivery |
|---|---|
| Monday | Monday - Saturday Following week |
| Tuesday | Monday - Saturday Following week |
| Wednesday | Monday - Saturday Following week |
| Thursday | Monday - Saturday Following week |
| Friday | Monday - Saturday Following week |
Public holidays:
- If the Friday of the posting week is a public holiday: for delivery during the subsequent week, please post consignments no later than the Thursday.
- If the Friday of the delivery week is a public holiday: Swiss Post will deliver consignments by the Saturday at the latest.
Transport time for cantonal and communal elections and votes or by-elections
The B Mail bulk mailing transport time applies to the shipping of documents for cantonal and communal elections and votes or by-elections. For by-elections, please note your canton’s applicable deadlines for the election and voting consignments being received by voters. Adjust the posting day to the transport time for B Mail bulk mailings to ensure punctual delivery.
| Posting day | Delivery |
|---|---|
| Monday | By Tuesday of the following week |
| Tuesday | By Wednesday of the following week |
| Wednesday | By Thursday of the following week |
| Thursday | By Friday of the following week |
| Friday | By Monday of the next but one week |
| Saturday | By Monday of the next but one week |
Preconditions for using the range of services
To use the range of services, the following criteria must be satisfied:
- Sender: political municipalities or cantons
- Use of the certified two-way envelope
- Overprint of the data matrix code on the polling card
- Postage paid impression
- A billing relationship with Swiss Post
Restriction
The size of the consignment is limited to B5 and a maximum thickness of 20 mm. Larger or thicker consignments will be transported at the price and conditions of A Mail, B Mail or B Mail bulk mailing services.
The range of services does not apply when sending election and voting documents to Swiss citizens living abroad. In this case, you revert to the regular Swiss Post mailing services for international consignments (PRIORITY – or sometimes within Europe also ECONOMY).
You will find more detailed information in the “Election and voting consignment” factsheet.
Documents
Prices and discounts
The shipping costs for the “election and voting consignment” service correspond to the prices for B Mail bulk mailing. Price adjustments for B Mail mass mailings also automatically apply to the “election and voting consignment” service. The size of the consignment is limited to B5 and a maximum thickness of 20 mm.
| Weight | Basic price | Price in CHF |
|---|---|---|
| 1–100 g | CHF 0.53 | 0.01 per 20 g |
| 101–250 g | CHF 0.78 | from 101 g, CHF 0.01 per 20 g |
| 251–500 g | CHF 1.08 | from 251 g, CHF 0.01 per 20 g |
| 501–1000 g | CHF 1.45 | from 501 g CHF 0.01 per 10 g |
Size: 140 x 90 mm to format B5 (250 x 176 mm)
Thickness: up to 20 mm
All prices incl. VAT.
Designing, packaging and addressing
The “election and voting consignment” service cannot be used if the two-way envelope or the polling card does not comply with the Swiss Post specifications and design guidelines. The envelope specifications and polling card design guidelines can be found in the “election and voting consignment” factsheet.
- “Election and voting consignment” factsheet (German version) (PDF, 239.1 KB)
- Data matrix code for the polling card – outbound (german version) (ZIP, 10.5 KB)
- Data matrix code for the polling card – return (german version) (ZIP, 14.1 KB)
- “Barcodes and data matrix codes for letter mail” manual (PDF, 6.8 MB)
Franking
Posting
Election and voting consignments can be posted at any branch or any Swiss Post letter or logistics center from Monday to Friday of the week before delivery. Swiss Post can also collect your consignments directly from you on request. Election and voting consignments must be posted using a dispatch list/delivery note created online.
All you need to know
Letters dispatch list
Generate the dispatch list/delivery note easily online using the “Letters dispatch list” online service.
Swiss Post sends all addressed domestic letters carbon-neutrally and covers the “pro clima” surcharges for offsetting CO2 emissions. Thanks to Swiss Post’s climate protection measures, the letter is both an effective and a carbon-neutral means of communication. We will also transport your other postal items carbon-neutrally in return for a small surcharge.