![Who Won Brazil’s Election 2026? Flávio Bolsonaro vs. Lula da Silva Live Results and Runoff Updates [FOTOS]](http://depor.com/resizer/v2/W4RVVNPXOZGFZA6RGCLYD6QVQI.jpg?auth=06ec66d75b7a54cac39dad521112b20cdf9e0643ef6b8a418d06f66fe524b69d&width=980&height=528&quality=75&smart=true)
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil’s presidential runoff with 51.74% of the vote, defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who received 48.26%. With 97.69% of ballot boxes counted, the result marked a reversal of the first-round outcome and set a precedent in the country’s democratic electoral history.
Since the end of Brazil’s military dictatorship, which lasted from 1964 to 1985, no candidate who finished second in the first round had managed to overtake their opponent in the decisive vote.
The first-round results had pointed to a different outcome. Flávio Bolsonaro led the race with 47% of the vote, roughly two percentage points ahead of Lula. At that stage, the senator held a margin of approximately 2.2 million votes over the progressive leader.
The runoff, however, reshaped the electoral contest. Lula overturned Bolsonaro’s initial advantage and finished more than four million votes ahead of his rival, according to the results cited.
Brazil Election 2026: Live Results
According to the latest update from Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE), dated October 25, 2026, at 9:14:49 p.m. local time, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has mathematically secured victory in Brazil’s presidential runoff, with 51.76% of the valid votes counted against 48.24% for Flávio Bolsonaro. With 99.77% of electoral sections tallied, Lula leads by 4,350,257 votes, and the TSE dashboard marks the election as mathematically decided.
| Candidated | Party | Votes Counted | Share of counted votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva | Workers’ Party (PT) | 64,078,503 | 51.76% |
| Flávio Bolsonaro | Liberal Party (PL) | 59,728,246 | 48.24% |
- Count completed: 99.77% of electoral sections (498,112 of 499,248).
- Valid votes counted: 123,806,749.
- Total votes recorded: 127,951,256.
- Voter turnout recorded: 127,951,256.
- Registered electorate: 158,745,502.
- Abstentions: 30,418,253.
- Last updated: October 25, 2026, at 9:14:49 p.m. local time in Brazil.
- Official results: Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
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The final Datafolha poll, published on Saturday, October 24, put Bolsonaro at 51% of valid votes and Lula at 49%, with a two-percentage-point margin of error. The survey interviewed 4,050 voters on October 23 and 24. Genial/Quaest also placed Bolsonaro at 51% and Lula at 49% of valid votes, within its two-point margin of error. Both surveys therefore indicate a technical tie rather than a statistically conclusive lead for either candidate. Polls measure voter preferences before election day; they do not determine the result.
The candidates have offered different approaches to Brazil’s economy, social policy and public security. Lula’s official government plan emphasizes reducing inequality, strengthening social protection, raising the minimum wage in real terms, expanding employment opportunities and continuing investment in infrastructure and industrial development. Bolsonaro’s platform highlights public security, tax reductions, a leaner federal administration, fiscal balance and measures intended to encourage entrepreneurship and economic growth. These priorities are drawn from the government plans filed with the TSE; their inclusion here does not imply that the proposals have been independently assessed for feasibility.
The runoff follows the first round held on October 4. According to the TSE, Bolsonaro received 47.03% of valid votes, or 56,104,268 votes, while Lula obtained 45.16%, or 53,876,617 votes. The final campaign days featured rallies in major cities, televised debates and direct exchanges between the candidates. Lula focused on defending his administration’s record and social policies, while Bolsonaro presented his candidacy as a call for political and economic change. The result will determine which candidate leads the federal government for the next presidential term.
The table below will be updated as the TSE publishes official results. It will show each candidate’s vote total and share, together with the percentage of the count completed when that information is available. Before the first official bulletin, the vote totals remain pending. The candidate with the higher share of counted votes may be described as leading the partial count, but that is not the same as a final, official result. This live report will identify the winner only when the available official information supports that conclusion.
Brazil Election 2026: Poll-Closing Times Around the World
| Country or region | Local poll-closing time |
|---|---|
| Brasília, Brazil | 5 p.m. |
| United States — Eastern Time | 4 p.m. |
| United States — Central Time | 3 p.m. |
| United States — Mountain Time | 2 p.m. |
| United States — Pacific Time | 1 p.m. |
| Mexico City | 2 p.m. |
| Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica | 2 p.m. |
| Colombia, Peru and Ecuador | 3 p.m. |
| Venezuela, Bolivia, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico | 4 p.m. |
| Argentina, Uruguay and mainland Chile | 5 p.m. |
| Mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands | 9 p.m. |
| Canary Islands | 8 p.m. |
Times are converted from the scheduled 5 p.m. closing time in Brasília on October 25, 2026. The table refers to the Brazilian poll-closing time, not the closing time of elections in the other countries.
