Brazil’s Election Moves to a Runoff: Lula vs. Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazil held a presidential vote on October 4, 2026. No candidate gained more than 50% of the valid votes, so the election will move to a second round. The top two finishers were President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

A runoff is scheduled for October 25, 2026, when voters will choose between those two. The Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE) has posted official counts and is totalizing results from across the country. Polls have shown the race to be very close, and many states reported tight margins on election night. Therefore, both campaigns are continuing to seek endorsements and votes while they prepare for the second round. However, the TSE said that heavy rains and some power outages caused local voting disruptions in parts of the south. Since no winner was declared in the first round, the runoff will decide who will serve as president after the vote is certified.