BRAZIL · ELECTIONS
Published Sunday, 18 October, 2:16 p.m. ET · Source: Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil’s electoral court (TSE)
Key Facts
- The country Brazil, Latin America’s largest country, elects its president in a runoff on Sunday 25 October between President Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
- What changed On Sunday 18 October the electoral court (TSE) updated its data to show 2,033 voting sections with a new address for the runoff.
- The numbers About 592,000 voters are affected, and 21.08% of the electorate stayed away in the first round on 4 October.
- The request Lula’s coalition asked the court on Sunday to publicise the moves widely and to help voters travel.
- Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 75.0 points (October 2026 edition).
- Prediction markets Polymarket gives Flávio Bolsonaro an 80.0% chance of winning the 25 October runoff (18 October, 2:16 p.m. ET). Polymarket puts Flávio Bolsonaro’s chance of winning at 80% and Kalshi at 80% (Lula: 21% and 21%), as of 18 October, 2:20 pm ET; prices are bets, not polls.
- Still open The sources do not explain why this count of 2,033 sections differs from the 4,352 reported as of Friday.
Brazil’s electoral court (TSE) changed the voting address of 2,033 sections for the 25 October runoff, affecting about 592,000 voters, according to data it updated on Sunday 18 October. Folha de S.Paulo reported the figures at 11:27 a.m. ET.
The coalition of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president, asked the court the same day to publicise the moves widely before the Brazil election 2026 runoff against Flávio Bolsonaro, senator for Rio de Janeiro. A section is a polling station with its own voter list, and the Brazil runoff date is Sunday 25 October.
What the Electoral Court Changed
The TSE moved 2,033 sections to new buildings between the first round and the runoff, Folha reported. The court said voters can check their address in its Electoral Self-Service portal or in the e-Título app, its voter-ID app.
O Tempo also reported 592,000 affected voters. Voting is compulsory for most adults, so a wrong address can cost a vote.
Why the Addresses Moved
The court said the changes followed storms in some regions, damage to buildings and last-minute repairs, Folha reported. It added that each local electoral zone decides, according to the buildings available, so the TSE does not order the moves centrally.
The TSE had reported a separate count of 4,352 sections as of Friday 16 October, Agência Brasil reported, and we covered it in Brazil Moves 4,352 Polling Sites for Runoff. The sources do not say how that figure relates to today’s 2,033.
What Lula’s Coalition Is Asking
Lula’s coalition, led by his Workers’ Party (PT), filed a request with the court on Sunday, Folha reported. It asked for wide publicity of the changes and for measures to help voters reach their new polling places.
The lawyers pointed to the 21.08% abstention in the first round and said many people could not vote because their polling place had moved. They argued that if the state makes voting compulsory, it must make sure voters know where to go, Folha reported. O Antagonista also reported the request.
What It Means for US Readers
A runoff this close can turn on turnout, so a dispute over how well voters were told where to vote may become part of the post-election argument. Investors in Brazilian stocks, bonds and US-listed shares should expect turnout and process questions to feed the news on the night of 25 October.
For readers following the race from the United States, the practical point is that each Brazilian voter must go to the address now on file with the electoral court.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, an online prediction market, bettors give Flávio Bolsonaro an 80.0% chance of winning the 25 October runoff and Lula 20.5% (18 October, 2:16 p.m. ET). The “Brazil Presidential Election” market has drawn about US$187.2 million in total bets.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
Prediction markets · who wins the runoff
Implied chance of winning Brazil’s presidency on 25 October, from traders’ prices.
Polymarket
Flávio Bolsonaro 80% · Lula 20.5% (US$187 million traded)
Kalshi (regulated in the US by the CFTC)
Flávio Bolsonaro 80% · Lula 21%
As of 18 October, 2:20 pm ET (19:20 Lisbon), updated every 20 minutes. Prices are bets, not polls, and can move fast.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the TSE will answer the coalition’s request or add publicity measures before 25 October. The court has not said how the 2,033 sections reported on Sunday relate to the 4,352 reported as of Friday.
It is also not known how many of the 592,000 voters will fail to find their new address, or whether that would change the result. Turnout depends on many other factors, including weather and the closeness of the race.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Brazilian voters have a new polling place for the runoff?
The TSE data updated on Sunday 18 October show 2,033 sections with a new address, affecting about 592,000 voters. The court announced a separate count of 4,352 sections on Friday 16 October.
How can voters check their polling place?
They can use the TSE Electoral Self-Service portal or the e-Título app, the electoral court’s voter-ID app. Both show the current address for the runoff.
Why did some polling places change?
The court cited storms, building damage and last-minute repairs in some regions. Each local electoral zone decides, so the TSE does not order the moves centrally.
What did Lula’s coalition ask the electoral court to do?
It asked the TSE to publicise the changes widely and to take measures that help voters travel to their new polling places. It cited the 21.08% abstention in the first round.
When is Brazil’s runoff?
Brazilians vote on Sunday 25 October, between President Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The first round took place on 4 October.
Sources: Folha de S.Paulo, 18 October 2026; O Tempo, 18 October 2026; O Antagonista, 18 October 2026; Agência Brasil, 17 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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