Brazil Votes 25 October, Polls Close 4 p.m. Eastern
Runoff · Sunday, 25 October
Flávio Bolsonaro vs Lula: what happens next
First-round results, how the runoff works, the key dates and who backs whom, in one guide.
Brazil picks its president again on Sunday 25 October. Foreigners cannot vote, but the day still changes how Brazil looks and feels from morning to evening. Here is what to expect, with US times.
Key Facts
- The day Brazil votes on Sunday 25 October 2026 to choose between Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula. Stations open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Brasília time, which is 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern and 11:00 to 20:00 in Lisbon and London.
- The race In the first round on 4 October, Flávio Bolsonaro won 47.03% of valid votes and Lula 45.16%, with all polling stations counted. The runoff has only two names, so one of them will pass 50%.
- Who votes About 158.7 million registered voters. Voting is compulsory for literate citizens aged 18 to 70. Foreigners cannot vote, with a narrow exception for Portuguese citizens granted equal rights; Brazilians abroad vote for president only.
- Also on the ballot Six governor runoffs: Acre, Amazonas, the Federal District, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Norte and Tocantins. Rio de Janeiro needs none after a court ruling.
- Money The real closed at about R$4.99 per US$ on Friday 9 October (RT). US and Brazilian markets are closed on Sunday, so the first trading reaction comes on Monday 26 October.
- Prediction markets Polymarket puts Flávio Bolsonaro’s chance of winning at 89% and Kalshi at 88% (Lula: 12% and 11%), as of 10 October, 1:20 am ET; prices are bets, not polls.
What Is Being Decided
This is the second round of Brazil’s presidential election. Nobody passed 50% of valid votes on 4 October, so the top two meet again. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, of the conservative Liberal Party, took 47.03%. President Lula, of the left-wing Workers’ Party, took 45.16%.
Blank and null ballots do not count as valid votes. With two candidates left, one of them must finish above 50%. Our first-round results report has the state-by-state map, and the runoff explainer shows how the second round works.
Six governor races also go to a second round: Acre, Amazonas, the Federal District, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Norte and Tocantins. Rio de Janeiro was expected to be the seventh. On 8 October the TSE voided the votes of candidate Anthony Garotinho, by a vote of 5 to 2. Douglas Ruas now has more than half of valid votes, so Rio will not hold a runoff. The state electoral court still has to recount the votes before Ruas is declared governor. Our governor runoff report follows it.
Hours and Rules for Voters
Voting is in person only. Stations open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Brasília time. The electoral court applies the same clock nationwide, so stations in Amazon-time states run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and in Acre and parts of south-west Amazonas from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of them close at 5 p.m. Brasília time.
For US readers, Brasília is one hour ahead of Eastern Time on 25 October, because US daylight saving time lasts until 1 November. Polls therefore run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central and 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific. In Lisbon and London the clocks go back that morning, so 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Brasília is 11:00 to 20:00.
About 158.7 million people are registered, according to the electoral court (TSE). Voting is compulsory for literate citizens aged 18 to 70 and optional for 16- and 17-year-olds, over-70s and the illiterate. Foreigners cannot vote, apart from a narrow exception for Portuguese citizens granted equal political rights. Brazilians abroad vote only for president, during local hours that generally run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What Expats and Visitors Will Notice
Alcohol rules come first. Many cities and states restrict sales over the election weekend, but the windows differ. Check your city hall or state electoral court rather than assuming.
Polling stations are mostly public schools, so streets near them fill in the morning and police presence rises. Election day is a Sunday, so offices are closed anyway. Run errands on Saturday and keep Sunday flexible.
Brazilian election days are usually calm. This campaign has run hot, so stay away from crowds at stations and political gatherings, and follow local news.
How the Results Come In
Brazil counts electronically. After stations close, the TSE publishes the national tally on its results portal and updates it by the minute. In the first round, the TSE finished counting in the early hours of Monday 5 October.
Partial counts are not forecasts. States report at different speeds, and early numbers can favour one side. Wait for the court’s tally, not a screenshot.
What It Means for You
US stock markets and B3 in São Paulo are closed on Sunday. Brazilian stocks traded in New York and the real react first on Monday 26 October.
For residents, visa and tax rules do not change on election night. What moves is the policy outlook, from trade with the United States to fuel prices and state budgets. Our runoff guide for expats covers that side.
What Prediction Markets Say
Prediction markets · who wins the runoff
Implied chance of winning Brazil’s presidency on 25 October, from traders’ prices.
Polymarket
Flávio Bolsonaro 88.6% · Lula 11.5% (US$180 million traded)
Kalshi (regulated in the US by the CFTC)
Flávio Bolsonaro 88% · Lula 11%
As of 10 October, 1:20 am ET (06:20 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
We do not know the final turnout, the exact time the TSE will call the winner, or which restrictions your city will apply on the day. We will update this guide as the TSE publishes its rules.
Sources
- Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE): election calendar, voting hours, first-round count of 4 October 2026, 158.7 million registered voters
- Constituição Federal and the Electoral Code (compulsory and optional voting, two-round system)
- Bloomberg Línea Brasil, O Liberal and Diário do Nordeste (runoff schedule, voting abroad); InvestNews (governor runoff states); Terra and Brasil 61 (TSE ruling of 8 October on Rio de Janeiro); DGABC (final first-round count)
- RT (USD/BRL close, 9 October 2026); Polymarket and Kalshi (prediction markets)
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times. See also our Brazil election results page and the Datafolha runoff poll report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners vote in Brazil’s runoff on 25 October?
No. Only registered Brazilian citizens vote. Foreigners, including permanent residents, cannot vote, with a narrow exception for Portuguese citizens granted equal political rights. Naturalized Brazilians vote on the same terms as native-born citizens. Voting is compulsory for literate citizens aged 18 to 70 and optional for 16- and 17-year-olds, over-70s and the illiterate.
What time do the polls open and close in the US?
Stations open at 8 a.m. Brasília time and close at 5 p.m. On Sunday 25 October that is 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, because US daylight saving time runs until 1 November. In Central Time it is 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., and in Pacific Time 4 a.m. to 1 p.m.
When will we know who won Brazil’s runoff?
The electoral court, the TSE, starts publishing the national count when stations close at 5 p.m. Brasília time. In the first round, the TSE finished the count in the early hours of Monday 5 October. Watch the court’s tally rather than social-media screenshots.
Is alcohol banned on runoff day in Brazil?
In many places, yes, but not everywhere and not on one national schedule. Sale restrictions are set by state and municipal rules, and the windows differ. Check your city hall or state electoral court before planning a Sunday dinner.
Can Brazilians living abroad vote in the runoff?
Yes. Brazilians registered abroad vote only for president and vice-president, at consulates, embassies and other Brazilian offices, during local hours that generally run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Which governors are decided on 25 October?
Six governor runoffs are set: Acre, Amazonas, the Federal District, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Norte and Tocantins. Rio de Janeiro needs none: on 8 October the TSE voided the votes of candidate Anthony Garotinho, by a vote of 5 to 2, which gives Douglas Ruas more than half of valid votes. The state electoral court still has to recount the votes before he is declared governor.
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