1896 Swiss referendum

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A three-part referendum was held in Switzerland on 4 October 1896.^[1] Voters were asked whether they approved of a federal law on guarantees in the cattle trade, a federal law on the accounting system for the railways and a federal law on the disciplinary penal code for the federal army.^[1] Whilst the law on the railways was approved, the other two were rejected by voters.^[1]

The referendums were optional referendums,^[1] which required only a majority of the public vote,^[2] rather than a majority of votes and cantons.^[2]