Voting as a foreigner in Vaud: commune elections and votes

Last checked: 9 October 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

Who can vote and stand for election in a Vaud commune without a Swiss passport, how you get on the electoral roll, what that means for students, and which dates are published. Orientation only, not legal advice. Your commune's Contrôle des habitants or greffe municipal confirms your own status.

Key facts

• Commune level only. In Vaud, foreigners who meet the conditions below can vote, elect and be elected in their commune, like Swiss citizens. There is no cantonal and no federal vote for foreigners.
• Four conditions, all required (vd.ch): aged 18 or over; living in a Vaud commune with a B or C permit; 3 years of continuous domicile in Vaud; 10 years of continuous residence in Switzerland.
• No sign-up form. People who meet the conditions are put on their commune's register automatically and receive the voting material at home.
• Most new students do not qualify yet. The 10-year and 3-year clocks are the limiting factor. Years on a student B permit count towards the 10 years, according to the canton's integration office.
• Next dates: vd.ch lists commune votes and by-elections on 29 November 2026 in a few communes; Lausanne, Ecublens, Renens, Chavannes-près-Renens and St-Sulpice are not among them. The next general communal elections are not yet scheduled on vd.ch; the current term runs until 30 June 2031.

The official conditions

The État de Vaud states that foreigners get commune-level political rights when each of these conditions is met:

The legal basis is article 142 of the Vaud Constitution: foreigners domiciled in the commune who have lived in Switzerland with a permit for at least ten years and been domiciled in the canton for at least three years belong to the commune electorate. The same article lists what these rights cover: taking part in elections and votes, standing for election, and signing initiative requests and, in communes with a conseil communal, referendum requests.

Not the same as naturalisation: becoming Swiss counts permit years differently (for example, L permit years count here but not for naturalisation): see Becoming Swiss in Vaud.

What did not change: on 28 September 2025, Vaud voters rejected an amendment to article 142 that would have cut the Swiss residence requirement from 10 to 5 years, keeping 3 years in Vaud (54.1% no, according to the Conseil d'État). The 10-year and 3-year rules above still apply.

Leaving and coming back: the canton's "1 voix, 1 choix" leaflet says that a member of the electorate who leaves the canton gets back the rights they had before leaving if they settle again in a Vaud commune with a B or C permit.

International civil servants: staff of international organisations without diplomatic status, and their family members, follow separate rules (legitimation card or Ci permit, 10 years in Switzerland of which the last 3 in Vaud, plus a form). See the vd.ch voting-rights page if this is you.

Sources: État de Vaud, Droit de vote · Vaud Bienvenue (BCI), Droits politiques · Vaud Constitution, art. 142 (Fedlex, RS 131.231) · État de Vaud, results of 28 September 2025 · État de Vaud, voting brochure of 28 September 2025 (PDF, FR) · État de Vaud, leaflet "1 voix, 1 choix" (PDF, Oct 2025)

Getting on the electoral roll

There is nothing to apply for. Both vd.ch and the BCI say that once you meet the conditions you are entered automatically in your commune's register (registre du corps électoral) and the official material is posted to your home.

What actually decides whether that happens:

1. You are registered in the commune where you live. Political rights are exercised only in the commune where you are on the register (domicile politique). Commune registration is covered in Permit & commune registration.
2. Your address is up to date. When you move to another Vaud commune, announce it so the new commune holds your file and posts the material to the right place: Address change within Vaud.
3. Your permit history is complete. The commune works from the population register. If you think you qualify but receive nothing before a vote, ask your commune: vd.ch says to contact your commune of domicile with any question.

How voting works: the material arrives by post. You can return it by post, drop it in the commune's ballot box, or take it to the polling station on voting day. Your vote is personal; nobody may vote for you (BCI).

What it means for students

• First-year international students: you will normally not meet the 10-year and 3-year conditions, so you will not receive commune voting material. That is expected, not an error.
• If you grew up or worked in Switzerland before your studies: count your years. Time on a student B permit counts towards the 10 years in Switzerland (BCI). The 3 years must be in Vaud and continuous.
• Moving between Vaud communes keeps your domicile in the canton continuous, which is what the 3-year rule looks at. Keep your registration current so the right commune has your file.
• Moving to another canton (for a Master's or a job) means Vaud's rules stop applying. Other cantons have their own rules on foreigners' rights.
• Small communes: in communes with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants the commune parliament is a conseil général, and the BCI says you can join it on simple request once you hold commune political rights.

Voting in your home country from Switzerland: see Registering with your own embassy or consulate.

No cantonal or federal vote

• Cantonal: the Vaud Constitution defines the cantonal electorate as Swiss citizens domiciled in the canton (art. 74) and gives foreigners rights at the commune level only (art. 142). Foreigners cannot vote in cantonal votes or in the elections to the Grand Conseil and Conseil d'État. On 30 November 2025, Vaud voters rejected the popular initiative "Pour des droits politiques pour celles et ceux qui vivent ici", which would have given cantonal rights to foreigners after 10 years in Switzerland and 3 in Vaud (63.5% no). The next cantonal elections are on 28 February 2027 (first round) and 21 March 2027 (second round), according to vd.ch; foreigners do not take part.
• Federal: the Federal Constitution gives political rights in federal matters to Swiss citizens over 18 (art. 136), so federal votes and elections (such as the federal vote on 29 November 2026) are not open to foreigners. Cantons regulate cantonal and commune rights themselves (art. 39), which is why Vaud can give foreigners commune rights.

Sources: Vaud Constitution, art. 74 and 142 (Fedlex) · État de Vaud, results of 30 November 2025 · Federal Constitution, art. 39 and 136 (Fedlex) · État de Vaud, Informations utiles (scrutin dates)

Dates published by vd.ch

Commune votes and by-elections can be added at any time. Check the vd.ch list of upcoming ballots, or your commune's notice board (pilier public) and website, before each voting Sunday.

Sources: État de Vaud, Prochains scrutins · État de Vaud, Informations utiles · État de Vaud, 2026 communal election calendar · Convocation decision 2026 (PDF, term 2026 to 2031)

Checklist

• Registered in the commune where you actually live (Permit & commune registration).
• Address updated after every move inside Vaud (Address change within Vaud).
• Counted your years: 10 continuous in Switzerland (student B counts) and the last 3 continuous in Vaud, with a B or C permit now.
• Qualify but got no material before a commune vote? Ask your commune's Contrôle des habitants or greffe.

Unfamiliar terms (corps électoral, domicile politique, conseil communal): see the Glossary.