in a small Swiss canton, residents vote with a show of hands

You’re looking at a form of direct democracy. Recently, thousands of citizens gathered in the small Swiss canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden to cast their votes, not by filling in bubbles on paper ballots or using curtained booths, but by a simple show of hands.

For hours, questions boomed over loudspeakers about constitutional, legislative, and financial issues, in addition to elections for local leaders. Residents of the canton — home to roughly 17,000 – either raised their hands for “yes” or kept them down for “no.” From a wooden podium, the chief magistrate visually assessed the crowd to determine each outcome.

 The tradition, known as the Landsgemeinde, dates back over 600 years and survives in only two of Switzerland’s 26 cantons due to concerns over privacy and practicality in areas with larger populations. But locals note that thetransparency can be a strength. “I think it’s nice to have it direct and to talk with people about it and to hear arguments directly,” Ursulina, a 31-year-old voter, told Agence France-Presse.

Angela Koller, the head of the cantonal government, added: “Standing together with other people, you can experience politics with all your senses.” She noted that the system “isn’t perfect,”but “we have a culture here where people can tolerate that, where they know they have different opinions.”

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“what people have the capacity to choose, they have the ability to change.”

–madeleine k. albright

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source credits: france 24, fabrice coffrinni, AFP