To the outer world the canton of Appenzell is best known by its institution of "Landsgemeinden", or democratic assemblies held in the open air, in which every male and female citizen (not being disqualified) over twenty years of age must (under a financial penalty) appear personally: each half-canton has such an assembly of its own, that of Inner Rhoden always meeting at Appenzell, and that of Ausser Rhoden in the odd years at Hundwil (near Herisau) and in the even years at Trogen. However, in Ausser Rhoden this institution was abolished by a ballot on 29 September 1997 by 54% of the voters (61% of the electorate voted).