Do abstaining voters hold the key to Brazil’s 2026 presidential election?
News Source
•Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:58:14 +0000
📰 What Happened
About 33.4 million Brazilian adults did not vote in the first round on October 4. That is a 21 percent abstention rate, the highest in a general election since 1998. Voting is compulsory for most adults in Brazil.
One of them is Larissa Campelo, a 30-year-old mother from Araraquara. She voted in 2014 and 2018 but says she is sitting out this race as a protest. "I don't want to dirty my hands with these candidates," she told Al Jazeera.
Both campaigns are now trying to pull abstainers back to the polls for Sunday's run-off.
🔍 The Backstory
Brazil makes voting mandatory for adults between 18 and 70. People who skip it can face small fines or trouble getting a passport. Even so, millions stay home, especially poorer and younger voters.
Abstention also rose sharply in 2018, when many voters said they trusted no candidate. Blank and spoiled ballots are counted separately, and in a very tight race every missing vote can tip the result.
🎯 Why It Matters
With the race this close, the people who stay home may decide who leads Brazil for the next four years.
About 33.4 million Brazilian adults did not vote in the first round on October 4. That is a 21 percent abstention rate, the highest in a general election since 1998. Voting is compulsory for most adults in Brazil.
One of them is Larissa Campelo, a 30-year-old mother from Araraquara. She voted in 2014 and 2018 but says she is sitting out this race as a protest. "I don't want to dirty my hands with these candidates," she told Al Jazeera.
Both campaigns are now trying to pull abstainers back to the polls for Sunday's run-off.
Brazil makes voting mandatory for adults between 18 and 70. People who skip it can face small fines or trouble getting a passport. Even so, millions stay home, especially poorer and younger voters.
Abstention also rose sharply in 2018, when many voters said they trusted no candidate. Blank and spoiled ballots are counted separately, and in a very tight race every missing vote can tip the result.
With the race this close, the people who stay home may decide who leads Brazil for the next four years.