Brazilians vote today in presidential first round as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro run neck and neck

Brazil, October 4 — Brazilians are voting today in the first round of the presidential election, with polls open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brasília time; more than 158.7 million people are eligible, and voters are also choosing governors, senators and legislators. The leading contenders are leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, eldest son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro. Final major polls showed a tight race: Datafolha put Lula at 45% and Bolsonaro at 42% of valid votes with a two-point margin of error; Quaest had it at 46% to 45%. If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid votes today, the top two advance to a runoff on October 25.

Source: Business News Today, October 4, 2026. https://business-news-today.com/brazil-votes-october-4-with-158-8-million-eligible-as-lula-and-flavio-bolsonaro-enter-close-race/