Kiosco Perfil

Election guide

Brazil, the region’s most populous country and biggest economy, holds elections tomorrow. Here’s an overview:

WHO?

There are 156,454,011 Brazilians eligible to vote, according to the Superior Electoral Tribunal, six percent more than at the last national elections, in 2018. More than 52 percent are women. Voting is mandatory for citizens aged 18 to 70, though the fine for failing to comply is negligible – 3.51 reais, or 0.66 US cents. Voting is optional for 16- and 17-year-olds, people over 70 and the illiterate.

WHAT?

Brazilians are electing their president as well as the lower house of Congress, one-third of the Senate, and governors and state legislators in all 27 states. All are elected for four-year terms, except senators, who are elected for eight years. President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office on January 1, 2019, is seeking re-election. The far-right incumbent’s top opponent is leftist ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010). Other leading candidates are ex-governor and minister Ciro Gomes and Senator Simone Tebet.

For the first time ever in a country where 56 percent of the population is black or mixed-race, there are more candidates from those groups (50 percent) than whites (49 percent). Just 34 percent of the more than 27,000 people running for office are women – though that is up from 31.7 percent four years ago. For the presidential and gubernatorial races, a run-off will be held on October 30 if no candidate wins more than half the valid votes.

WHEN?

Polls open at 8am and close at 5pm Brasilia time (same as Buenos Aires). Results are expected from around two hours later.

HOW?

Brazil uses electronic voting machines. Voters select their candidates with a numeric code – 22 for Bolsonaro, 13 for Lula, for example. Bolsonaro has repeatedly alleged – without evidence – that the system is plagued by fraud, raising fears that he will try to contest the result if he loses.

BUENOS AIRES TIMES

es-ar

2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://kioscoperfil.pressreader.com/article/282772065453533

Editorial Perfil