Brazil Supreme Court Extends Presidential Runoff Voting Hours Nationwide
Both presidential campaigns requested more time after transit shortages and bad weather threatened voter participation across the country.
Brazil's Supreme Federal Court ordered a nationwide two-hour extension of voting hours during Sunday's presidential runoff election on Oct. 25, 2026. Polling places remained open until 7:00 p.m. Brasília time instead of the planned 5:00 p.m. closing time.
Justice Cristiano Zanin issued the emergency ruling after both campaigns filed urgent requests. Both sides reported obstacles that prevented citizens from reaching polling stations. Electoral officials confirmed that anyone waiting in line by 7:00 p.m. could cast a ballot.
The runoff pits 80-year-old incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against 45-year-old conservative Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Eligible voters totaled 158.7 million according to Al Jazeera, or nearly 160 million according to TeleSUR.
Lula's campaign claimed that municipal administrations deliberately suppressed voter access by reducing public transit. The campaign alleged that São Paulo ran only 60% of its buses, while Salvador left at least 75 buses parked in depots.
The Regional Electoral Court of Bahia ordered the immediate return of Salvador's full bus fleet. It imposed an hourly fine of 1 million Brazilian reais, or about $180,000, for non-compliance. Superior Electoral Court head Kássio Nunes Marques had confirmed transit shortages earlier in the day.
Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign also petitioned for extra time, citing severe storms and heavy rains in southern states. After voting in Rio de Janeiro, Bolsonaro stated that Brazil needed real change and could not endure four more years under Lula's government.
In a public address, Lula stated that the country deserved an honest election and urged citizens to stay in line. The top electoral authority noted that voting remained mostly calm, with only 900 electronic voting machines replaced nationwide due to technical problems.
The runoff followed the Oct. 4 first-round election, where Bolsonaro led with 47.03% of the vote compared to Lula's 45.16%. Turnout was a major concern for both candidates, as more than 33 million citizens, or 21% of eligible voters, abstained in the first round.
Centralized electronic vote tabulation will resume immediately after the revised 7:00 p.m. deadline, with final results expected within hours. Electoral courts and federal authorities plan post-election inquiries into whether transit operators in cities such as Salvador and São Paulo broke judicial orders.
