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Brazil's 2026 Presidential Race Sees High Abstention Rates
Confirmed
In Short: In the run-up to Brazil's 2026 presidential runoff, a significant portion of the electorate is abstaining from voting, raising questions about the impact on the election's outcome.
Larissa Campelo, a 30-year-old mother from Sao Paulo, decided not to vote in the 2026 presidential election, marking a shift from her previous participation in 2014 when she voted for centre-right Senator Aecio Neves.
Campelo's decision is part of a broader trend of abstention among Brazilian voters. In the first round of the election, around 33.4 million adults did not vote, resulting in a 21 percent abstention rate, the highest since 1998.
The final vote pits incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Both candidates are well-known figures in Brazil's political establishment.
Veiga, a political analyst, noted that abstention often occurs among those who move cities without transferring their voter registration or those with work or family care duties on election day.
Campelo expressed her frustration, saying, “Politicians do things wrong, and people keep defending them. It makes no sense.” She added, “This isn’t apathy. It’s because I don’t feel there’s anyone qualified enough to earn my vote.”
Dos Santos, another analyst, explained, “That creates profound exhaustion.” Campelo further stated, “It’s my form of protest. I don’t want to dirty my hands with these candidates.”
Veiga also pointed out, “We cannot say that abstention is simply a political 'no' to voting.” She compared politics in Brazil to supporting a football team, noting, “People are adopting their own pet politicians.”
Both candidates are making their final pitches to mobilize their bases, win over voters who backed unsuccessful first-round candidates, or persuade the 6 million who cast canceled ballots to change their minds.
The runoff election is expected to be one of the tightest in Brazil’s history, with just 2.2 million ballots separating the two candidates in the first round.
President Lula da Silva’s government has announced a 15 percent increase in welfare benefits ahead of the election, while Bolsonaro has secured a thin lead but needs to win the runoff to secure the presidency.
Background
AFP announced plans to bolster its fact-checking efforts with a dedicated team to combat disinformation during the 2027 French presidential election.
What's confirmed
- Larissa Campelo, a 30-year-old mother from Sao Paulo, decided not to vote in the 2026 presidential election, marking a shift from her previous participation in 2014 when she voted for centre-right Senator Aecio Neves.
- Campelo's decision is part of a broader trend of abstention among Brazilian voters. In the first round of the election, around 33.4 million adults did not vote, resulting in a 21 percent abstention rate, the highest since 1998.
- The final vote pits incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Both candidates are well-known figures in Brazil's political establishment.
- Veiga, a political analyst, noted that abstention often occurs among those who move cities without transferring their voter registration or those with work or family care duties on election day.
- Both candidates are making their final pitches to mobilize their bases, win over voters who backed unsuccessful first-round candidates, or persuade the 6 million who cast canceled ballots to change their minds.
- The runoff election is expected to be one of the tightest in Brazil’s history, with just 2.2 million ballots separating the two candidates in the first round.
- President Lula da Silva’s government has announced a 15 percent increase in welfare benefits ahead of the election, while Bolsonaro has secured a thin lead but needs to win the runoff to secure the presidency.
What's still developing
- But Campelo is part of a historically large chunk of the electorate sitting out this year's presidential race.
- "Life is difficult enough that they don't have the headspace, time or resources to devote to politics," she explained.
- People walk past campaign flags of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, the day after the general election in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.
- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, greets supporters during a campaign rally in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026.
- Bolsonaro begins from a different reading of Brazil’s interests.
- The controversy followed reporting by The Guardian that the Trump administration had redirected money from the US State Department’s Human Rights and Democracy Fund toward conservative causes internationally, including a proposed $1 million grant related to opposition to Brazil’s Supreme Court.
- “I firmly believe there is no one else capable of putting an end to the Lula risk hanging over Brazil,” Milei said in a typically fiery speech.
- Speaking from São Paulo, Lula accused Bolsonaro of encouraging the coup by “fascist fanatics” and issued a decree directing the federal government to take control of security in the capital after local police failed to protect the houses of government.
- Our Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, heads to Roraima to hear what’s at stake for the rainforest and the communities that live there in the Brazilian presidential runoff on Sunday.
- If Flávio Bolsonaro wins Brazil’s presidential run-off, he will likely roll back Lula’s deforestation regulations.