Brazil votes as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro contest the presidency
Nearly 159 million people are eligible to vote, with a possible run-off on 25 October and control of Congress also at stake.
Brazilians are voting on Sunday in a presidential election led by incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The ballot will also reshape Congress and state governments, giving the outcome significance beyond the presidency.
A nationwide ballot
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court says 158,765,543 people are eligible. Polling stations across the country follow Brasília time, opening at 8am and closing at 5pm. Those hours correspond to noon and 9pm British Summer Time. A presidential second round, if needed, is scheduled for 25 October.
Two leading contenders
Reuters reports that Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth term. Bolsonaro, 45, is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Neither has been declared the winner: voting is still under way. A candidate needs more than half of valid votes to win the presidency in the first round.
Congress matters too
The electoral court lists 513 lower-house seats and 54 Senate seats among the contests. That means two-thirds of the 81-member Senate is being renewed. Reuters describes a campaign shaped by living-cost pressures and worries about public finances, issues the next administration will face alongside its relationship with Congress.
Sources & verification
Sources checked: 4 October 2026
