Brazil kicks off campaigns for general elections in October

Brazil commenced its election campaign for the 2026 general elections on August 16. Candidates are permitted to engage in various activities such as motorcades, marches, and leafleting from 8 am to 10 pm, with online ads and paid print media ads allowed until October 3. Rallies can be held from 8 am to midnight until October 1, with a minimum distance of 200 meters from key government buildings. Free radio and television advertising will be permitted from August 28 to October 1.

The first round of voting is scheduled for October 4, electing federal, state, and district representatives, governors, senators, and the president. A second round may occur on October 25, for governor and presidential positions, if no candidate secures over 50% of valid votes in the first round. Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency, including incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, seeking a fourth term, Flávio Bolsonaro from the Liberal Party, and Ronaldo Caiado of the Social Democracy Party. Polls suggest these three are likely frontrunners for a runoff.

President Lula da Silva launched his campaign at a rally in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, a site tied to his political past as the location of significant workers' strikes against a military dictatorship in 1979. Flávio Bolsonaro began his campaign at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, a venue that has hosted numerous pro-Bolsonaro rallies, including those protesting his father's attempted coup d'état.

Ronaldo Caiado initiated his campaign in Goiás, the state he governed from 2019 to March 2023, where he ranks highest in voter preference according to recent polls. Safety and combating organized crime emerged as key themes in many candidates' speeches.