Brazil prepares for its runoff on 25 October
· BehindLines newsroom
Brazil is preparing for the runoff in its presidential election, scheduled for Sunday, 25 October 2026. The calendar of the Superior Electoral Court distinguishes this vote from the first round on 4 October. At the time this article was prepared, the vote on the 25th was still ahead: its place on the calendar provides neither turnout figures nor a result.
Agência Brasil announced on 4 October that Flávio Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party, and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the Workers' Party, would face each other in the runoff. The agency explains that another presidential vote is required when no candidate obtains more than half of valid votes in the first round. Runoffs for governors are also planned in parts of the country. Votes already counted therefore explain how the two candidates qualified, without determining the outcome of the next contest.
As voting approaches, official communications also address its organisation. In a presentation published on 23 October, the TSE brings together identification requirements and ways of checking the voting location. It states that the e-Título application can serve as proof of identity if it includes a photograph; otherwise, an official photo identification document is necessary.
Voting hours require a precise geographical reading. The electoral court of Rondônia states in its notice of 23 October that polls will open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. This time window applies to that state and must not be presented as the same local time throughout the country. The same notice distinguishes absence in the first round from the ability to participate in the second, provided the person's electoral registration is in good standing.
This information describes a calendar and practical arrangements announced before the vote. It is not an account of how voting has proceeded. The actual opening of polling stations, turnout and the count will require separate information, established after the corresponding events.