More than 119 million Brazilians voted in the Oct. 4 election – including about 21,000 Florida residents
Brazilian voters abroad mirror the deep polarization shaping politics in their home country.
On October 4, 2026, a record-breaking 119,000,000 Brazilians cast their votes in the national elections to choose the next president of the country and governors for all 27 states. Voting is mandatory for all citizens aged 18-70, including nearly 1 million Brazilians living abroad. Among them, around 21,000 residents of Florida participated in the polling place in Kissimmee, outside Orlando.
No mail or online voting is allowed; Brazilian consulates serve as polling places for the diaspora. Although turnout in the U.S. was only about 75,000 Brazilians, roughly 28% of eligible voters, the significance of this election cannot be understated for Brazil's future and its relations with the U.S. If no candidate secures over 50% of the votes in the first round, a runoff will be held on October 25.
Lula da Silva, the incumbent president, and his far-right opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, both failed to reach the 50% threshold, prompting the need for a runoff election.
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