Ordinance on Mixed Signature Collection - Subject Matter

1. This decree regulates the procedure for the simultaneous collection of handwritten and electronic signatures (mixed signature collection) in relation to referendum and initiative requests.

1. The State Chancellery provides an E-Collecting platform accessible via the Internet for the collection of electronic signatures and further electronic procedural steps in connection with referendum and initiative requests.

2. The following trust levels are required for electronic authentication according to [Art. 4](https://www.gesetzessammlung.sg.ch/data/142.31/en/art4) of the Ordinance on E-Login dated November 27, 2025[[3]](#paragraphtext_content_fn_534739_2_3_c)

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| a) | for the establishment of a signature collection: Trust Level 1; | | |

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| b) | for the submission of an electronic signature: Trust Level 4. | | |

3. Representation for submitting an electronic signature is excluded.

4. Multiple signing of the same referendum or initiative request by the same person is technically excluded.

1. An electronic signature is considered to be a statement of support in the form of a control mark on the e-collecting platform.

1. The procedure for collecting handwritten signatures corresponds to the procedure used exclusively for collections of handwritten signatures, as stipulated in the Act on Referendum and Initiative dated November 27, 1967. Exceptions are made for special provisions regarding

a) additional electronic procedural steps pursuant to Article 9 of this decree;

b) the realization in accordance with Article 11 of this decree.

2. In the case of mixed signature collection, the political municipalities record the control marks for handwritten signatures on the e-collecting platform.

1. Individuals who initiate a signature collection shall record the referendum request on the e-collecting platform. Article 20 letters b to d of the RIG shall be applied correspondingly.

1. Persons supporting a referendum request shall submit their signature electronically on the e-collecting platform.

2. The electronic signature shall be considered submitted when

a) eligibility to vote has been confirmed through an automatic comparison with the standing electoral register using the AHV insurance number;

b) no control mark has already been recorded for the respective collection.

3. The electronic signature is invalid if

a) it is not made in the prescribed form;

b) it is made before the referendum period begins;

c) it is not made by the end of the referendum period;

d) the maximum permissible number of electronic signatures has been reached;

e) it has been made fraudulently.

1. The E-Collecting platform stores in particular the following data of the signatory

a) to prevent multiple signings

1. encrypted voting register ID;

2. time of validation against the permanent voting register;

b) for statistical purposes

1. gender;

2. age;

3. BFS number of the political municipality (Municipality-ID);

4. political municipality;

5. time of validation against the permanent voting register.

2. The data of persons who provide their signatures electronically are not accessible to the persons who establish a signature collection, nor to third parties.

3. The current number of electronic signatures submitted for a referendum request is publicly viewable on the E-Collecting platform.

1. The initiative committee shall record the initiative request published in the Official Gazette on the e-collecting platform. [Art. 39](https://www.gesetzessammlung.sg.ch/data/125.1/de/art39) letters b to f of the RIG shall be applied mutatis mutandis.

2. Concerning electronic authentication, [Art. 2](https://www.gesetzessammlung.sg.ch/data/125.11/de/art2) paragraph 2 of this enactment shall be applied mutatis mutandis.

1. The initiative committee can also process the following additional procedural steps via the e-collecting platform in particular

a) Creation and signing of the list of members;

b) Submission of the initiative request to the government for examination of admissibility;

c) Registration of the initiative request.

2. Concerning electronic authentication, Article 2, paragraph 2 of this decree is applied accordingly.

1. Concerning the Submission of Electronic Signatures and Data Processing on the E-Collecting Platform, Articles 6 and 7 of this Decree shall be applied accordingly.

1. The State Chancellery shall determine within one month from the submission of the referendum or initiative request whether it has been successfully initiated.

2. The request is considered successfully initiated if the required number of valid handwritten and electronic signatures are submitted to the State Chancellery within the deadline.

3. The State Chancellery publishes the results of the examination and the number of valid handwritten and electronic signatures in the cantonal official gazette, broken down by political municipalities and electoral districts.

1. In referendums and initiatives where the deadline for collecting signatures begins prior to the implementation of the government's decision concerning the approval of the use of the e-collecting platform pursuant to Art. 27a para. 1 lit. c RIG, electronic signing is excluded.