Brazilians Vote in Tight Presidential Runoff Between Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula
Brazilians are voting on October 25, 2026, in a presidential runoff between Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the incumbent. Polling stations were scheduled to open from 8am to 5pm local time, which is 11:00 to 20:00 GMT, and nearly 160 million citizens are eligible to vote for president.
The runoff follows the first round on October 4. Flávio Bolsonaro received 56,104,268 votes, or 47.03% of valid votes, while Lula received 53,876,617, according to Brazil's electoral court, the TSE. Flávio Bolsonaro runs as candidate number 22 for the PL, the Liberal Party, and is the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula is the candidate of the Workers' Party (PT) and, according to Al Jazeera, is seeking an unprecedented fourth term as president.
Polling before the vote has shown a close contest. A poll by MDA, reported by Reuters, put Flávio Bolsonaro at 46.3% and Lula at 45.0%. The survey covered 2,032 people between October 21 and October 23, and carries a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points, a measure of how far the results could plausibly differ from the views of the full electorate. An earlier Datafolha poll had shown Flávio Bolsonaro at 47% and Lula at 46%, according to Reuters.
The two candidates met in a final televised debate, where they clashed over the cost of living and corruption, Reuters reported. On October 24, the eve of the vote, both Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro held rallies to call on supporters to turn out.
The campaign has also included legal action. Flávio Bolsonaro has filed a case with the TSE seeking the cassation, or cancellation, of the registration or diploma of Lula and Alckmin. That is the official document confirming a candidate's standing to run or to hold office.
Results will be reported through the TSE's official results portal. The court said it would broadcast the second round live on YouTube, with coverage of the vote count beginning at 17h.
