Voting in Brazil's 2026 presidential election has begun, with polls showing Lula and Bolsonaro nearly tied

On Sunday, Brazilian voters began casting their ballots in the presidential election, with incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his opponent Senator Flavio Bolsonaro set to compete in a closely contested race. Preliminary polls suggest a neck-and-neck contest, with neither candidate expected to secure more than 50% of the vote and avoid a runoff. The election campaign concluded on Saturday in the country's economic hub, Sao Paulo.

Lula, an 80-year-old leftist leader, vowed to defeat the "far right" and framed the election as a choice between democracy and sovereignty, and barbarism and corruption. His campaign focused on continuing the Workers' Party platform, which advocates for welfare programs, state-funded development, and income redistribution.

Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, is the right-wing populist who aims to continue the populist movement started by his father, Jair Bolsonaro. The senator has campaigned on hardline security policies and tax cuts, criticizing Lula as "incompetent." Flavio Bolsonaro's campaign included a motorcycle parade through Sao Paulo's countryside cities of Santa Barbara d Oeste and Americana. The younger Bolsonaro has stated that he is more moderate than his father, though he acknowledges Jair Bolsonaro's influence.

The two leading candidates have been embroiled in a bitter campaign, with both sides utilizing online operations and slick videos or AI-generated images to sway voters. In September, it was revealed that Jair Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion related to a biopic about his father. Despite this, he has denied any wrongdoing. The latest polls indicate a dead heat between Lula and Bolsonaro, with Lula at 46% and Bolsonaro at 45%.