A dramatic, last-minute ruling from Brazil’s Supreme Court has reshaped election day, adding two hours to voting in the presidential contest and forcing election officials to halt a ballot count that had already begun releasing early numbers.
The race pits leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Polls had been due to close at 5pm (8pm Irish time) but will now remain open until 7pm. The change came after Supreme Justice Cristiano Zanin granted a request from Mr Lula’s campaign, citing public transportation problems in three cities in the northeastern state of Bahia.
The decision arrived almost exactly at the original 5pm deadline — after the electoral court had started publishing initial results. Those early figures showed Mr Lula ahead of Mr Bolsonaro with 0.25% of ballots counted.
At that point in the count, Mr Lula had 57.66% of votes to Mr Bolsonaro’s 42.34%.
Following the ruling, the TSE said it would suspend the vote tally until the extended voting window ends.
Pause adds uncertainty
Freezing the count midstream adds another layer of uncertainty to an electoral system still shadowed by the turbulence of 2022, when Jair Bolsonaro refused to accept defeat to Mr Lula.
In the aftermath, his backers stormed government buildings in protest of the outcome, and Jair Bolsonaro was later sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
US President Donald Trump has described the prosecution as a “witch hunt” and last year imposed a 50% tariff on Brazil, a move explicitly tied to Jair Bolsonaro’s trial.
Although many of those measures were later softened, Mr Trump has introduced new levies against Brazil this year, arguing the country engages in unfair trade practices.
Flavio Bolsonaro (L) and Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva pictured before a debate during the election campaign
Mr Lula has portrayed the Trump administration’s closeness to the Bolsonaro family as part of an effort to influence the election, while branding tariffs and other punishments as bullying.
Mr Lula had urged electoral authorities to extend voting in at least nine states, after his campaign alleged that some officials curtailed election-day public transport, making it harder for voters to reach polling stations.
Earlier, a court in Bahia — a Lula stronghold in Brazil’s northeast — ordered the arrest of a senior transportation official in Salvador over claims he ordered a reduction in the city’s bus fleet.
Mr Bolsonaro also sought an extension in at least three states, pointing to bad weather.
If Mr Bolsonaro, 45, wins, it would build on a run of right-wing victories across Latin America by candidates viewed as friendly to Mr Trump. A fourth mandate for Mr Lula, by contrast, would land poorly in Washington, where disputes with his government over trade and security have flared.
The campaign has centred on corruption scandals, anxiety over the economy and allegations of US interference — claims Washington rejects.
Economically, even with inequality and unemployment declining, Mr Lula has struggled to persuade voters facing steep costs and heavy household debt. Persistent gang violence has also remained a defining concern.
Mr Bolsonaro has tried to harness cost-of-living frustration while arguing for a tough crackdown on crime, including pledges for maximum-security prisons and chemical castration for serious sexual offenses.
Candidates neck and neck – polls
Polling indicates the runoff is essentially a dead heat, with Mr Lula narrowing the gap in the closing days.
Still, history tilts toward Mr Bolsonaro: no presidential candidate has ever come from behind after finishing second in the first round.
In that first-round vote, Mr Bolsonaro secured 47% of ballots, while Mr Lula followed with 45%.
The senator’s initial lead helped send Brazilian markets and the currency sharply higher, driven by expectations of pro-business reforms.
His first-round strength also echoed through congressional races for his Liberal Party and other right-wing forces, a dynamic that could clear a legislative runway for him — or, if Mr Lula prevails, complicate governance.
Lula says some voters unable to vote over buses pulled in cities
Mr Lula said voters had been “barred from voting” after buses were removed from circulation in Sao Paulo and other urban areas.
“We are asking the Supreme Court to extend the electoral process so that those who were effectively barred from voting, due to the dirty tactics of mayors, can still cast their votes,” said Mr Lula.
He claimed that 40% of buses were taken out of service in Sao Paulo and said similar problems were unfolding in multiple cities across his home region in the northeast.
“I’ve never complained about anything in any election before. Whether I won or lost, I’d just accept it and get ready for the next one. But this time, something abominable is happening,” he said.
“No one should give up on voting just because some scoundrel of a business owner or some crooked, criminal mayor tried to stop the people from casting their ballots.”
Local media reported that 75 buses were blocked from leaving garages in the city.
“We do, in fact, have transportation difficulties in some locations, which are already being resolved,” Kassio Nunes, president of the Superior Electoral Court, told journalists.
Brazilians living in Ireland are voting at the RDS in Dublin
Thousands of Brazilians from across Ireland are casting their ballots at the RDS in Dublin today.
Voters have had to contend with stormy conditions, traffic restrictions linked to the 45th Irish Life Dublin Marathon and a brief power outage at the RDS this morning.
Electricity was cut for an hour, between 8:30am and 9:30am. Voting paused during that period and then restarted.
Speaking to RTÉ News, the Brazilian ambassador said more than half of registered Brazilian voters in Ireland are expected to take part in today’s election.
Brazilians living in Ireland on the upcoming presidential election
