Municipalities in St. Gallen that most often vote against the Swiss result
Nesslau is the municipality in St. Gallen that most often ends up on the opposite side of the national result: on 33.3% of federal ballot proposals (2015–2026) its own majority differed from Switzerland. Next are Eichberg (32.4%) and Schänis (32.4%). Only municipalities of at least 1,000 residents are counted. Source: FSO.
Ranking
BFS · 2015–2026| Rank | Municipality | Divergence | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nesslau | 33.3% | 3'937 |
| 2 | Eichberg | 32.4% | 1'614 |
| 3 | Schänis | 32.4% | 4'213 |
| 4 | Neckertal | 32.4% | 6'446 |
| 5 | Flums | 31.4% | 5'458 |
| 6 | Quarten | 30.4% | 3'118 |
| 7 | Wildhaus-Alt St. Johann | 30.4% | 2'614 |
| 8 | Oberriet | 29.4% | 9'417 |
| 9 | Benken | 29.4% | 3'119 |
| 10 | Lütisburg | 29.4% | 1'647 |
| 11 | Mosnang | 29.4% | 2'936 |
| 12 | Niederbüren | 29.4% | 1'571 |
| 13 | Ebnat-Kappel | 28.4% | 5'353 |
| 14 | Bütschwil-Ganterschwil | 28.4% | 5'385 |
| 15 | Rüthi | 27.5% | 2'667 |
| 16 | Kaltbrunn | 27.5% | 5'128 |
| 17 | Gommiswald | 27.5% | 5'838 |
| 18 | Pfäfers | 26.5% | 1'647 |
| 19 | Eschenbach | 26.5% | 10'401 |
| 20 | Kirchberg | 25.5% | 9'879 |
| 21 | St. Margrethen | 24.5% | 6'731 |
| 22 | Altstätten | 24.5% | 12'788 |
| 23 | Sevelen | 24.5% | 5'405 |
| 24 | Mels | 24.5% | 9'581 |
| 25 | Amden | 24.5% | 1'896 |
| 26 | Oberbüren | 24.5% | 4'762 |
| 27 | Gams | 23.5% | 3'736 |
| 28 | Muolen | 22.5% | 1'251 |
| 29 | Rheineck | 22.5% | 3'566 |
| 30 | Sennwald | 22.5% | 6'428 |
| 31 | Wattwil | 22.5% | 9'262 |
| 32 | Häggenschwil | 21.6% | 1'432 |
| 33 | Rebstein | 21.6% | 5'084 |
| 34 | Jonschwil | 21.6% | 3'979 |
| 35 | Waldkirch | 21.6% | 3'581 |
| 36 | Thal | 20.6% | 7'217 |
| 37 | Niederhelfenschwil | 20.6% | 3'309 |
| 38 | Wartau | 19.6% | 5'617 |
| 39 | Vilters-Wangs | 19.6% | 5'168 |
| 40 | Widnau | 18.6% | 10'485 |
| 41 | Au | 17.6% | 8'771 |
| 42 | Degersheim | 17.6% | 4'209 |
| 43 | Berneck | 16.7% | 4'026 |
| 44 | Diepoldsau | 16.7% | 6'933 |
| 45 | Weesen | 16.7% | 1'895 |
| 46 | Zuzwil | 16.7% | 4'994 |
| 47 | Berg | 15.7% | 1'021 |
| 48 | Steinach | 15.7% | 3'579 |
| 49 | Marbach | 15.7% | 2'147 |
| 50 | Andwil | 14.9% | 2'117 |
| 51 | Tübach | 14.7% | 1'587 |
| 52 | Walenstadt | 14.7% | 6'083 |
| 53 | Balgach | 13.9% | 5'229 |
| 54 | Uzwil | 13.9% | 14'676 |
| 55 | St. Gallen | 13.7% | 79'487 |
| 56 | Wittenbach | 13.7% | 10'157 |
| 57 | Mörschwil | 13.7% | 3'702 |
| 58 | Rorschacherberg | 13.7% | 7'741 |
| 59 | Grabs | 13.7% | 7'535 |
| 60 | Schmerikon | 13.7% | 4'168 |
| 61 | Lichtensteig | 13.7% | 2'157 |
| 62 | Gossau | 13.7% | 18'943 |
| 63 | Eggersriet | 12.7% | 2'370 |
| 64 | Goldach | 12.7% | 9'872 |
| 65 | Untereggen | 12.7% | 1'035 |
| 66 | Uznach | 12.7% | 7'114 |
| 67 | Oberuzwil | 12.7% | 6'864 |
| 68 | Buchs | 11.8% | 14'287 |
| 69 | Flawil | 11.8% | 10'672 |
| 70 | Rorschach | 10.9% | 10'389 |
| 71 | Bad Ragaz | 10.8% | 6'836 |
| 72 | Wil | 9.8% | 25'444 |
| 73 | Gaiserwald | 9.8% | 8'828 |
| 74 | Sargans | 5.9% | 6'670 |
| 75 | Rapperswil-Jona | 5.9% | 28'836 |
How we measure this
BFSShare of federal ballot proposals (2015–2026) on which the municipality's own majority landed on the opposite side of the Swiss-wide result (yes vs no). Based on the FSO ballot results across every proposal in the period; only municipalities that took part in at least 50 proposals are ranked. Municipal ties (exactly 50%) count neither for nor against. Only municipalities of at least 1,000 residents appear: in very small municipalities a few votes can flip the majority, so genuine political distinctiveness could not be reliably separated from chance. The top ranks are nonetheless not an artefact — the municipalities involved diverge deeply (around 20 percentage points) and in a consistent direction, not narrowly and at random.
Frequently asked questions
- Which municipality in St. Gallen votes against Switzerland most often?
- Nesslau: on 33.3% of federal ballot proposals (2015–2026) its majority landed on the opposite side of the national result — the highest in St. Gallen (municipalities of 1,000+ residents).
- Aren't these just small villages with random results?
- No. That is why only municipalities of at least 1,000 residents are counted, and the leaders diverge not narrowly but sharply — on average about 20 percentage points from the 50% line, and systematically in the same direction (they reject what Switzerland accepts). That is a real political pattern, not the statistical noise of a few ballots.