View source for 2023 Zürich cantonal elections

{{Short description|None}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2023 Zürich cantonal elections
| country = Zürich
| type = legislative
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2019 Zürich cantonal elections
| previous_year = 2019
| election_date = 12 February 2023
| next_election = 2027 Zürich cantonal elections
| next_year = 2027
| seats_for_election = All 7 seats in the [[Executive Council of Zürich]]<br>All 180 seats in the [[Cantonal Council of Zürich]] (91 seats needed for a majority)
| module = {{Infobox election
|embed              = yes
|type               = parliamentary
|election_name      = Executive Council

|1blank = Elected
|2blank =  

|image1 = {{Multiple candidates images|{{CSS image crop|Image = Natalierickli.jpg|bSize=75|cWidth=70|cHeight=100|oTop=0|oLeft=0}}|{{CSS image crop|Image = Ernst Stocker.jpg|bSize=75|cWidth=70|cHeight=100|oTop=5|oLeft=5}}}}
|party1 = Swiss People's Party
|1data1 = '''[[Natalie Rickli]]'''<br>{{formatnum:181842}}, 70.02%
|2data1 = '''[[Ernst Stocker]]'''<br>{{formatnum:177639}}, 68.40%

|image2 = [[File:Mario Fehr (2007).jpg|70px]]
|party2 = Independent politician
|1data2 = '''[[Mario Fehr]]'''<br>{{formatnum:192711}}, 74.20%

|image3 = {{center|{{CSS image crop|Image = Martin Neukom.jpg|bSize = 75|cWidth = 70|cHeight = 100|oTop = 0|oLeft = 3}}}}
|party3 = Green Party of Switzerland
|1data3 = '''[[Martin Neukom]]'''<br>{{formatnum:161864}}, 62.33%

|image4 = {{center|{{CSS image crop|Image = Fehr-jacqueline regierung 17 18.jpg|bSize = 100|cWidth = 70|cHeight = 100|oTop = 10|oLeft = 22}}}}
|party4 = Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
|1data4 = '''{{nowrap|[[Jacqueline Fehr]]}}'''<br>{{formatnum:148610}}, 57.22%

|image5 = {{center|{{CSS image crop|Image = |bSize=100|cWidth=70|cHeight=100|oTop=0|oLeft=15}}}}
|party5 = The Centre (political party)
|1data5 = '''[[Sylvia Steiner (politician)|Sylvia Steiner]]'''<br>{{nowrap|{{formatnum:146242}}, 56.31%}}

|image6 = {{center|{{CSS image crop|Image = Walker-spaeh-2 001 pp Web.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 70|cHeight = 100|oTop = 0|oLeft = 45}}}}
|party6 = The Liberals (Switzerland)
|1data6 = '''{{nowrap|[[Carmen Walker Späh|Carmen W. Späh]]}}'''<br>{{formatnum:145444}}, 56.00%

|module = {{Infobox legislative election
|embed          = yes
|election_name  = Cantonal Council
|noleader       = yes
|ongoing        = no

|party1         = Swiss People's Party
|current_seats1 = 45
|last_election1 = 45
|seats1         = 46
|percentage1    = 24.92

|party2         = Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
|current_seats2 = 35
|last_election2 = 35
|seats2         = 36
|percentage2    = 19.32

|party3         = The Liberals (Switzerland)
|current_seats3 = 29
|last_election3 = 29
|seats3         = 29
|percentage3    = 15.86

|party4         = Green Liberal Party of Switzerland
|current_seats4 = 23
|last_election4 = 23
|seats4         = 24
|percentage4    = 12.75

|party5         = Green Party of Switzerland
|current_seats5 = 22
|last_election5 = 22
|seats5         = 19
|percentage5    = 10.43

|party6         = The Centre (political party)
|current_seats6 = 8
|last_election6 = 8
|seats6         = 11
|percentage6    = 6.03

|party7         = Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland
|current_seats7 = 8
|last_election7 = 8
|seats7         = 7
|percentage7    = 3.86

|party8         = Alternative List
|current_seats8 = 6
|last_election8 = 6
|seats8         = 5
|percentage8    = 2.62

|party9         = Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland
|current_seats9 = 4
|last_election9 = 4
|seats9         = 3
|percentage9    = 1.89
}}
}}
}}

The '''2023 Zürich cantonal elections''' were held on 12 February 2023<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Kantonsratswahl 2023 Resultate und Infos - Wahlen & Abstimmungen {{!}} Kanton Zürich |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/prod/Actual/ElectionProporz/1/1/20230212/240122/Results |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=app.statistik.zh.ch}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Regierungsratsbeschluss Nr. 1281/2022 |url=https://www.zh.ch/de/politik-staat/gesetze-beschluesse/beschluesse-des-regierungsrates/rrb/regierungsratsbeschluss-1281-2022.html |access-date=2023-01-14 |website=Kanton Zürich |language=de}}</ref> to elect the seven members of the cantonal [[Executive Council of Zürich|Executive Council]] and the 180 members of the [[Cantonal Council of Zürich|Cantonal Council]].

All seven incumbents in the Executive Council were re-elected, with the bourgeois alliance holding a majority of four; in the Cantonal Council the "Climate alliance" retained a narrow majority of 91.

== Electoral system ==

=== Executive Council ===
The Executive Council contains 7 members elected using a two-round majoritarian system. In the first round, electors have up to seven votes and the 7 most-voted candidates reaching an overall majority (>50%) are elected. If seats remain to be filled, a runoff is held where electors have as many votes as seats remaining, and the candidates with the most votes (simple plurality) are elected.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Kantons- und Regierungsratswahlen |url=https://www.zh.ch/de/politik-staat/wahlen-abstimmungen/kantons-regierungsratswahlen.html |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=Kanton Zürich |language=de}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2023-02-04 |title=Zürcher Wahlen 2023: So füllst du den Wahlzettel richtig aus |url=https://www.zueritoday.ch/zuerich/zuercher-wahlen-2023-so-fuellst-du-den-wahlzettel-richtig-aus-149932943 |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=ZüriToday |language=de-ch}}</ref>

=== Cantonal Council ===
The Cantonal Council is elected using open-list proportional representation, with canton-wide apportionment of seats and allocation into 18 constituencies ([[biproportional apportionment]]). In each constituency, voters have as many votes as there are seats to fill ([[panachage]] is permitted); these votes each count both for the candidate and for the list they stand in. These votes counts are divided by the seats count to give ''fictional electors'' counts which can be summed up fairly throughout the canton.

Using the fictional electors counts, each party above the threshold (reaching 5% in at least one constituency) is apportioned seats canton-wide, which are then shared among their constituency lists. In each constituency list, the seats are attributed to the candidates reaching the most votes.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
|+Number of seats by constituency<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />
! colspan="2" |Constituency
!Seats
!Change
|-
|I ||Zürich city districts 1 & 2 || style="text-align:right;" | 5 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|II ||Zürich city districts 3 & 9 || style="text-align:right;" | 12 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|III ||Zürich city districts 4 & 5 || style="text-align:right;" | 5 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|IV ||Zürich city districts 6 & 10 || style="text-align:right;" | 8 || style="text-align:right;" | −1
|-
|V ||Zürich city districts 7 & 8 || style="text-align:right;" | 6 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|VI ||Zürich city districts 11 & 12 || style="text-align:right;" | 12 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|VII ||Dietikon || style="text-align:right;" | 11 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|VIII ||Affoltern || style="text-align:right;" | 7 || style="text-align:right;" | +1
|-
|IX ||Horgen || style="text-align:right;" | 15 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|X ||Meilen || style="text-align:right;" | 12 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XI ||Hinwil || style="text-align:right;" | 11 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XII ||Uster || style="text-align:right;" | 16 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XIII ||Pfäffikon || style="text-align:right;" | 7 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XIV ||Winterthur city || style="text-align:right;" | 13 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XV ||Winterthur land || style="text-align:right;" | 7 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XVI ||Andelfingen || style="text-align:right;" | 4 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XVII ||Bülach || style="text-align:right;" | 18 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|-
|XVIII ||Dielsdorf || style="text-align:right;" | 11 || style="text-align:right;" | =
|}

=== Date ===
Cantonal elections in Zürich are typically held in April or late March, but the presence of both a federal referendum date on 12 March and holidays meant the cantonal elections had to be pusher earlier, to mid-February.<ref name=":3" /> Had a second round been needed, it would have been held on 16 April.<ref name=":3" />

== Candidates ==

=== Executive Council ===

All seven incumbents ran for re-election: Mario Fehr (ind.), Jacqueline Fehr (SP), Ernst Stocker (SVP), Sylvia Steiner (CVP), Carmen Walker Späh (FDP), Martin Neukom (Grüne), and Natalie Rickli (SVP). Mario Fehr was elected in 2011 then re-elected in 2015 and 2019 as a social democrat, but left the party in 2021 and contested this election as an independent.<ref name=":3" />

The FDP fielded Peter Grünenfelder as their second candidate in hope of retaking their seat lost in 2015; the SP fielded Priska Seiler Graf as their second candidate to compensate for Mario Fehr's defection. Benno Scherrer runs for the Green-Liberals, hoping to take a seat as the fourth-largest party in the cantonal council.

Minor candidates were Anne-Claude Hensch for the Alternative List, Daniel Sommer for the EVP; Patrick Jetzer for Aufrecht and Josua Dietrich for the Free List both ran as opponents to Covid restrictions. Former SVP member Hans-Peter Amrein also ran as an independent, as did Bernhard Schmidt and Peter Vetsch.<ref name=":3" />

Candidacies could be submitted until 28 November 2022, 17 candidates ran in total.

=== Cantonal Council ===
The table below lists contesting parties represented in the [[Cantonal Council of Zürich|Cantonal Council]] before the election.<ref name=":3" />

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! colspan="3" rowspan="2" |Name
! rowspan="2" |Ideology
! colspan="2" |2019 result
! rowspan="2" |Incumbent seats
|-
!Votes (%)
!Seats
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''SVP'''
|[[Swiss People's Party]]<br />''Schweizerische Volkspartei''
|[[National conservatism]]<br />[[Right-wing populism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |24.5%
|{{Composition bar|45|180|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}}}
|{{Composition bar|44|180|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''SP'''
|[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]<br />''Sozialdemokratische Partei''
|[[Social democracy]]<br />[[Democratic socialism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |19.3%
|{{Composition bar|35|180|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}}}
|{{Composition bar|34|180|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''FDP'''
|[[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP.The Liberals]]<br />''FDP.Die Liberalen''
|[[Classical liberalism]]<br />[[Conservative liberalism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |15.7%
|{{Composition bar|29|180|{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}}}}
|{{Composition bar|29|180|{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''GLP'''
|[[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|Green Liberal Party]]<br />''Grünliberale Partei''
|[[Green liberalism]]<br />[[Social liberalism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |12.9%
|{{Composition bar|23|180|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}}}
|{{Composition bar|24|180|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''GPS'''
|[[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]]<br />''Grüne Partei''
|[[Green politics]]<br />[[Progressivism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |11.9%
|{{Composition bar|22|180|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}}}
|{{Composition bar|22|180|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|The Centre (political party)}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''DM'''
|[[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]]<br />''Die Mitte''{{efn|Merger of the [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]] and of the [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party]].}}
|[[Christian democracy]]<br />[[Social conservatism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |5.8%
|{{Composition bar|8|180|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}}}
|{{Composition bar|9|180|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''EVP'''
|[[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|Evangelical People's Party]]<br />''Evangelische Volkspartei''
|[[Christian democracy]]<br />[[Social conservatism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |4.2%
|{{Composition bar|8|180|{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}}}}
|{{Composition bar|8|180|{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Alternative List}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''AL'''
|[[Alternative List]]<br />''Alternative Liste''
|[[Socialism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |3.2%
|{{Composition bar|6|180|{{party color|Alternative List}}}}
|{{Composition bar|6|180|{{party color|Alternative List}}}}
|-
| style="background:{{party color|Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" |'''EDU'''
|[[Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland|Federal Democratic Union]]<br />''Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union''
|[[National conservatism]]
| style="text-align:center;" |2.3%
|{{Composition bar|4|180|{{party color|Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland}}}}
|{{Composition bar|3|180|{{party color|Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland}}}}
|-
|
|'''Ind.'''
|Independents
|–
|–
|{{Composition bar|0|180|{{party color|Independent politician}}}}
|{{Composition bar|1|180|{{party color|Independent politician}}}}
|-
|}
{{notelist}}

Lists could be submitted until 5 December 2022. 13 parties contested this election, as many as in 2019, with 1687 candidates in total in the canton.

The SVP, SP, FDP, GLP, Greens, and Mitte all ran full slates of 180 candidates, while the EVP (177 candidates), AL (139), EDU (132), and Aufrecht/Free List (132) also ran in all 18 constituencies. The [[Swiss Party of Labour|Party of Labour]] (23 candidates) only contests in the constituencies of the city of Zürich, and the lists Yes to stop growth and SansPapierPolitiques both consist of a single candidate.

== Campaign ==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
|+Approximate campaign budget for each candidate<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bis zu 300'000 Franken: So finanzieren die Zürcher Regierungsratskandidaten den Wahlkampf |url=https://www.watson.ch/!823886371 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=[[Watson (newspaper)|Watson]]|language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=So viel investieren Zürcher Regierungsratskandidierende in den Wahlkampf |url=https://www.zueritoday.ch/zuerich/wahlen-2023/so-viel-investieren-zuercher-regierungsratskandidierende-in-den-wahlkampf-149599349 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=ZüriToday |language=de-ch}}</ref>
! colspan=2 | Candidate
!Budget (CHF)
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Independent politician}};" | || Hans-Peter Amrein (Ind.) || 300,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}};" | || Peter Grünenfelder (FDP) || 300,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}};" | || Benno Scherrer (GLP) || 200,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};" | || Jacqueline Fehr (SP) || 160,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}};" | || Carmen Walker Späh (FDP) || 150,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Swiss People's Party}};" | || Ernst Stocker (SVP) || 145,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Green Party of Switzerland}};" | || Martin Neukom (Greens) || 140,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|The Centre (political party)}};" | || Silvia Steiner (Mitte) || 135,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};" | || Priska Seiler Graf (SP) || 125,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Independent politician}};" | || Mario Fehr (Ind.) || 120,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Swiss People's Party}};" | || Natalie Rickli (SVP) || 100,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Alternative List}};" | || Anne-Claude Hensch (AL) || 100,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Aufrecht}};" | || Patrick Jetzer (Aufrecht) || 60,000
|-
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Independent politician}};" | || Peter Vetsch (Ind.) || 10,500
|}

The [[2019 Zürich cantonal elections|2019 cantonal elections]] had been a “green wave” as both the GLP and Greens gained over five percentage points in the Cantonal Council. The parties of the loose "Climate Alliance" (SP, GLP, Greens, EVP, AL) had won an overall majority for the first time, with 94 seats (out of 180).<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last1=Hotz |first1=Stefan |last2=Geisseler |first2=Zeno |last3=Fritzsche |first3=Daniel |date=2023-01-20 |title=Zürcher Wahlen 2023: Das Rennen um die sieben Sitze im Regierungsrat ist offen, die Mehrheiten im Kantonsrat bleiben knapp |trans-title=Zurich elections 2023: The race for the seven seats on the government council is open, majorities in the cantonal council remain narrow |url=https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/wahlen-2023-im-kanton-zuerich-alles-zu-regierungsrat-kantonsrat-ld.1666438?reduced=true |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |language=German}}</ref> The BDP, which failed to pass the threshold in 2019, merged with the CVP to form Die Mitte (The Centre).

As in previous elections, the bourgeois parties (SVP, FDP, Mitte) ran running as an alliance for the executive council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wie soll Zürich regiert werden? |url=https://www.zhk.ch/de/wirtschaft-und-politik/abstimmungen/die-buergerlichen-lancieren-den-gemeinsamen-regierungratswahlkampf-mit-starkem-leistungsausweis-und.html |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=www.zhk.ch|date=14 September 2022 }}</ref> The SP, Greens, and AL also recommend each-other's candidates under the name “Progressive Alliance”.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Geisseler |first=Zeno |date=2022-11-12 |title=Das links-grüne Bündnis setzt bei den Regierungsratswahlen auf das urbane Zürich – nicht jedoch auf die GLP |trans-title=The left-green alliance is betting on urban Zurich in the Executive Council elections - but not on the GLP |url=https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/das-links-gruene-buendnis-hofft-auf-bei-den-regierungsratswahlen-auf-das-urbane-zuerich-aber-nicht-auf-die-glp-ld.1711838 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung}}</ref> Both were more cohesive alliances than in previous elections;<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last1=Donzé |first1=René |last2=Städeli |first2=Markus |last3=Meier |first3=Jürg |date=2023-01-21 |title=Grünenfelder speltet Bürgerliche |trans-title=Grünenfelder splits the bourgeois |url=https://magazin.nzz.ch/nzz-am-sonntag/schweiz/zuercher-wahlkampf-gruenenfelder-spaltet-buergerliche-ld.1722463 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=NZZ magazin |language=German}}</ref> the GLP and other parties were in no alliance for the Executive Council.

Education policy was an important issue in the campaign; although surveys saw climate and the environment as the most important issue, followed by immigration and asylum, pensions and social security, and health care. An explanation is electoral strategy, since the lowest-polling incumbent, Sylvia Steiner, was leading the education department. New candidates Priska Seiler Graf, Peter Grünenfelder, and Benno Scherrer have criticized her education policy.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Huber |first=Marius |date=2023-01-25 |title=Zürcherinnen und Zürcher leiden laut Umfrage unter Dichtestress – aber der Wahlkampf lässt dieses Thema aus |trans-title=Zürichers suffer from density stress according to a survey - but the electoral campaign omits this issue |url=https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/umfrage-zu-zuercher-wahlen-sorge-wegen-wohnungsknappheit-und-stau-ld.1722356 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |language=German}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-30 |title=Wahlen im Kanton Zürich - Zürcher Wahlen: Kippt die Klima-Allianz? |url=https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/wahlen-im-kanton-zuerich-zuercher-wahlen-kippt-die-klima-allianz |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) |language=de}}</ref>

== Opinion polls ==
=== Executive Council ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
|- style="height:40px;"
! style="width:80px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm
! style="width:130px;" rowspan="2"| Fieldwork date
! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| Sample<br />size
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Mario Fehr|M. Fehr]]<br>{{small|[[Independent politician|Ind.]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Natalie Rickli|Rickli]]<br>{{small|[[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Ernst Stocker|Stocker]]<br>{{small|[[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Martin Neukom|Neukom]]<br>{{small|[[Green Party of Switzerland|GPS]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Jacqueline Fehr|J. Fehr]]<br>{{small|[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Carmen Walker Späh|Späh]]<br>{{small|[[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Silvia Steiner|Steiner]]<br>{{small|[[The Centre (political party)|DM]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Priska Seiler Graf|P. S. Graf]]<br>{{small|[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Peter Grünenfelder|{{shy|Grünen|felder}}]]<br>{{small|[[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Benno Scherrer|Scherrer]]<br>{{small|[[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|glp]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Anne-Claude Hensch|Hensch]]<br>{{small|[[Alternative List|AL]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Daniel Sommer|Sommer]]<br>{{small|[[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|EVP]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Peter Amrein|Amrein]]<br>{{small|[[Independent politician|Ind.]]}}
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Patrick Jetzer|Jetzer]]<br>{{small|Aufrecht}}
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Independent politician}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|The Centre (political party)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Alternative List}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Independent politician}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Aufrecht Schweiz}};"|
|-
| [https://sotomo.ch/site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TAWahlbefragung_Teil1.pdf Sotomo/Tages-Anzeiger]
|{{opdrts|24|8|Dec|2021|year}}
| 2'500
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Independent politician}}|0.8}};"| '''58'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.9}};"| '''57'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.9}};"| '''53'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|0.9}};"| '''44'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|0.9}};"| '''40'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|0.9}};"| '''40'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}|0.95}};"| ''36''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|0.95}};"| ''36''
| 28
| 25
| 14
| 10
| 9
| –
|-
| [https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/regierungsratswahlen-super-mario-in-der-pole-position-grosse-unzufriedenheit-gleich-mit-drei-regierungsraetinnen-ld.1717739 GfS Bern/NZZ]
|{{opdrts|24|8|Dec|2021|year}}
| 2'500
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Independent politician}}|0.8}};"| '''59'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.9}};"| '''54'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.9}};"| '''54'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|0.9}};"| '''49'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|0.9}};"| '''42'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}}|0.9}};"| '''41'''
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}|0.9}};"| '''37'''
| 30
| 29
| 22
| 14
| 9
| –
| 4
|-
|}

=== Cantonal Council ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
|- style="height:40px;"
! style="width:80px;" rowspan="2"| Polling firm
! style="width:130px;" rowspan="2"| Fieldwork date
! style="width:35px;" rowspan="2"| Sample<br />size
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[FDP.The Liberals|FDP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|glp]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Green Party of Switzerland|GPS]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[The Centre (political party)|DM]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|EVP]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Alternative List|AL]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:40px;"| [[Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland|EDU]]
! class="unsortable" style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Others
! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Lead
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|FDP.The Liberals}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|The Centre (political party)}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Alternative List}};"|
! style="background:{{party color|Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland}};"|
|-
| [https://sotomo.ch/site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TAWahlbefragung_Teil1.pdf Sotomo/Tages-Anzeiger]
|{{opdrts|24|8|Dec|2021|year}}
| 2'500
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.8}};"| '''24.0'''
| 17.8
| 16.7
| 14.4
| 10.4
| 6.8
| 4.2
| 3.2
| –
| 2.5
| style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 6.2
|-
| [https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/umfrage-zu-den-zuercher-wahlen-gruenliberale-gewinnen-sp-verliert-ld.1717946 GfS Bern/NZZ]
|{{opdrts|24|8|Dec|2021|year}}
| 2'500
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.8}};"| '''24.0'''
| 18.1
| 16.1
| 14.3
| 11.5
| 6.3
| 4.1
| 3.5
| 1.9
| 0.2
| style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5.9
|- style="background:#E9E9E9;"
| '''2019 election'''
| {{opdrts||24|Mar|2019|year}}
| –
| style="background:#{{HexShade|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|0.7}};"| '''24.5'''
| 19.3
| 15.7
| 12.9
| 11.9
| 5.8{{efn|Includes results from the CVP and BDP in 2019, before their merger.}}
| 4.2
| 3.2
| 2.3
| 1.7
| style="background:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}};color:#FFFFFF;"| 5.2
|-
|}
{{notelist}}

== Results ==

=== Executive Council ===
''Note: percentages here are calculated based on the number of valid votes (excluding blank and invalid votes) so that the absolute majority is at exactly 50%, but may result in candidates reaching over 100% of the valid votes.''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Results of the 2023 Zürich Executive Council election
! colspan="2" |Candidate
!Party
!Votes
! %
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Mario Fehr]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Independent politician|Ind.]]
|{{formatnum:192711}}
|{{percent|192711|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Natalie Rickli]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]
|{{formatnum:181842}}
|{{percent|181842|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Ernst Stocker]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Swiss People's Party|SVP]]
|{{formatnum:177639}}
|{{percent|177639|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Martin Neukom]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Green Party of Switzerland|Grüne]]
|{{formatnum:161864}}
|{{percent|161864|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Jacqueline Fehr]]{{efn-lr|Incumbent|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]
|{{formatnum:148610}}
|{{percent|148610|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Sylvia Steiner (politician)|Sylvia Steiner]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[The Centre (political party)|DM]]
|{{formatnum:146242}}
|{{percent|146242|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-style="font-weight:bold;"
| style="background-color:{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Carmen Walker Späh]]{{efn-lr|name=inc}}
| style="text-align:left;" |[[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP]]
|{{formatnum:145444}}
|{{percent|145444|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Priska Seiler Graf]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP]]
|{{formatnum:120586}}
|{{percent|120586|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Peter Grünenfelder]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP]]
|{{formatnum:108395}}
|{{percent|108395|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Benno Scherrer]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|GLP]]
|{{formatnum:93603}}
|{{percent|93603|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Alternative List}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Anne-Claude Hensch]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Alternative List|AL]]
|{{formatnum:80189}}
|{{percent|80189|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Hans-Peter Amrein]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Independent politician|Ind.]]
|{{formatnum:62025}}
|{{percent|62025|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |Daniel Sommer
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|EVP]]
|{{formatnum:42961}}
|{{percent|42961|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Others}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Josua Dietrich]]
| style="text-align:left;" |Free List
|{{formatnum:28622}}
|{{percent|28622|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Peter Vetsch]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Independent politician|Ind.]]
|{{formatnum:28040}}
|{{percent|28040|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Florian Wegmann]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Independent politician|Ind.]]
|{{formatnum:23521}}
|{{percent|23521|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |Bernhard Schmidt
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Independent politician|Ind.]]
|{{formatnum:21861}}
|{{percent|21861|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Others}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Patrick Jetzer]]
| style="text-align:left;" |Aufrecht
|{{formatnum:17130}}
|{{percent|17130|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Scattered votes
|{{formatnum:46672}}
|{{percent|46672|259708|pad=2|%=}}
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Total
|{{formatnum:1817957}}
|{{percent|1817957|2307984|pad=2|%=}}
|-
! colspan="10" |
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Blank votes
|{{formatnum:482438}}
|{{percent|482438|2307984|pad=2|%=}}
|- 
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Invalid votes
|{{formatnum:7589}}
|{{percent|7589|2307984|pad=2|%=}}
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Total votes
|{{formatnum:2307984}}
|7×
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Blank ballots
|{{formatnum:2285}}
|{{percent|2285|332522|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Invalid ballots
|{{formatnum:525}}
|{{percent|525|332522|pad=2|%=}}
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Total ballots
|{{formatnum:332522}}
|–
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left;" |Registered voters/Turnout
|{{formatnum:929203}}
|{{percent|332522|929203|pad=2|%=}}
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align:left;" |Source: zh.ch,<ref>{{cite web |title=Regierungsratswahl 2023 {{!}} Resultate und Infos {{!}} Wahlen & Abstimmungen |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/prod/Actual/ElectionMajorz/1/1/20230212/240123/Results |website=app.statistik.zh.ch |access-date=2023-02-13 |language=German}}</ref> Election protocol<ref>{{cite web |title=Protokoll der Wahlergebnisse {{!}} Erneuerungswahl von 7 Mitgliedern des Regierungsrates für die Amtsdauer 2023–2027 |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/data_prod/geschaefte/1_1_20230212/RRW_Wahlprotokoll_KantonZuerich_240123.pdf |date=2023-02-12}}</ref>
|-
|}
{{notelist-lr}}All seven incumbents were re-elected without the need for a second round.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-12 |title=Wahlen im Kanton Zürich 2023: Alle Resultate im Überblick |url=https://www.zueritoday.ch/zuerich/wahlen-2023/der-neue-zuercher-regierungsrat-ist-ganz-der-alte-150036108 |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=ZüriToday |language=de-ch}}</ref> Mario Fehr topped the polls with 74%, nine points below his 2019 results but nonetheless an increase of twenty thousand votes. He was followed by the two SVP candidates Natalie Rickli and Ernst Stocker, both seeing large increases in votes compared to 2019. Green councillor Martin Neukom finished 4th after being the surprise of 2019, ahead of SP councillor Jacqueline Fehr, while Sylvia Steiner and Carmen Walker Späh both defended their seats with over 56%, a margin of twenty-five thousand votes over Priska Seiler Graf who failed to swing the majority in the executive to the left.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-02-12 |title=Le Parlement zurichois reste à majorité de centre-gauche, tout le gouvernement est réélu |url=https://www.rts.ch/info/regions/autres-cantons/13777919-le-parlement-zurichois-reste-a-majorite-de-centregauche-tout-le-gouvernement-est-reelu.html |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=rts.ch |language=fr}}</ref>

=== Cantonal Council ===
{{election results
|caption = Results of the 2023 Zürich Cantonal Council election
|image = [[File:2023 Zurich Council.svg]]

|party1 = [[Swiss People's Party]]
|votes1 = 79287
|sw1    = +0.45
|seats1 = 46
|sc1    = +1

|party2 = [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]]
|votes2 = 61480
|sw2    = +0.01
|seats2 = 36
|sc2    = +1

|party3 = [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP.The Liberals]]
|votes3 = 50456
|sw3    = +0.19
|seats3 = 29
|sc3    =

|party4 = [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|Green Liberal Party]]
|votes4 = 40562
|sw4    = −0.16
|seats4 = 24
|sc4    = +1

|party5 = [[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]]
|votes5 = 33200
|sw5    = −1.48
|seats5 = 19
|sc5    = −3

|party6 = [[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]]
|votes6 = 19178
|sw6    = +0.21
|seats6 = 11
|sc6    = +3

|party7 = [[Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland|Evangelical People's Party]]
|votes7 = 12277
|sw7    = −0.38
|seats7 = 7
|sc7    = −1

|party8 = [[Alternative List]]
|votes8 = 8342
|sw8    = −0.53
|seats8 = 5
|sc8    = −1

|party9 = Aufrecht / Free List
|votes9 = 6838
|sw9    = ''New''
|seats9 = 0
|sc9    = ''New''

|party10 = [[Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland|Federal Democratic Union]]
|votes10 = 6028
|sw10    = −0.38
|seats10 = 3
|sc10    = −1

|party11 = [[Swiss Party of Labour|Labour Party]]
|votes11 = 437
|sw11    = −0.04
|seats11 = 0
|sc11    = ±0

|party12 = Yes to stop growth
|votes12 = 71
|sw12    = ''New''
|seats12 = 0
|sc12    = ''New''

|party13 = SansPapierPolitiques
|votes13 = 60
|sw13    = ''New''
|seats13 = 0
|sc13    = ''New''

|valid = 320141
|blank = 296
|invalid = 3968
|electorate = 929203

|source = app.statistik.zh.ch,<ref>{{cite web |title=Kantonsratswahl 2023 {{!}} Resultate und Infos {{!}} Wahlen & Abstimmungen |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/prod/Actual/ElectionProporz/1/1/20230212/240122/Results/alle |website=app.statistik.zh.ch |access-date=2023-02-13 |language=German}}</ref> election protocol<ref>{{cite web |title=Kantonsratswahl 2023 {{!}} Stimmenquorum der Listengruppen {{!}} Oberzuteilung der Sitze an die Listengruppen {{!}} Unterzuteilung der Sitze an die Listen |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/data_prod/geschaefte/1_1_20230212/KRW_Wahlprotokoll_KantonZuerich_Quorum_OZ_UZ_240122.pdf |publisher=2023-02-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kantonsratswahl 2023 {{!}} Gesamtergebnis der Sitzeverteilung |url=https://app.statistik.zh.ch/wahlen_abstimmungen/data_prod/geschaefte/1_1_20230212/KRW_Wahlprotokoll_KantonZuerich_240122.pdf |date=2023-02-12}}</ref>
}}

This election saw little movement for most parties. The most significant changes were the Green Party losing three seats, while The Centre (merger of the CVP and BDP) re-gained three, mainly owing to the inclusion of former BDP votes that failed to pass the threshold in 2019. The SVP retained the first place and gained one seat, as did the Social-Democrats and the Green-Liberals; the EVP, AL, and EDU all lost one seat each, and the FDP's number of seats remained consistent. No new party passed the threshold, Aufrecht and the Free List came closest but did not win any seats.

The "Climate Alliance" (SP, GLP, Greens, EVP, AL) lost three seats overall but maintained a narrow majority of a single seat, while the bourgeois parties (SVP, FDP, CVP) gained four seats but failed to re-gain the majority. This puts once again the Green-Liberals as [[kingmaker]]s for various legislative majorities in the elected Cantonal Council, left-leaning for social and climate issues but right-leaning for economic issues.<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Zürich elections}}

[[Category:2023 elections in Switzerland|Zürich]]
[[Category:February 2023 events in Switzerland|Zürich cantonal elections]]
[[Category:Cantonal elections in Zürich]]