Brazil Election 2026 Results: Lula Wins the Runoff Over Flávio Bolsonaro
Short answer
Lula da Silva won Brazil’s October 25, 2026 presidential runoff with 64,256,232 votes (51.79% of valid votes) against Flávio Bolsonaro’s 59,826,041 (48.21%), with all electronic voting machines totalled by Brazil’s electoral court. He is the first runner-up from the first round to win the runoff since 1985, The Guardian reports.
Unofficial until certified. These are the electoral court (TSE) machine totals as reported by O Globo, The Guardian and Election Index; the TSE’s portal is the official record. Last updated October 27, 2026, 8:45 AM ET. ViralScopeHub is independent and not affiliated with any election office, party or government.
Brazil runoff results: Lula 51.79%, Flávio Bolsonaro 48.21%
With 100% of electronic voting machines totalled, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) totals reported by O Globo show Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) won the October 25, 2026 presidential runoff with 64,256,232 votes (51.79% of valid votes). Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) received 59,826,041 votes (48.21%). Lula’s margin was 4,430,191 votes (our subtraction), which matches the “about 4.4 million” gap in our news summary.
| Votes | Share of valid votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) – elected | 64,256,232 | 51.79% |
| Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) | 59,826,041 | 48.21% |
| Null votes | 2,723,305 | — |
| Blank votes | 1,430,496 | — |
| Abstentions | 30,509,005 | — |
Election Index reports all 499,248 polling sections were totalled by 23:26 Brasília time on October 25 and puts turnout at 128,236,074 voters (80.8%). The Guardian’s results page shows 100% of districts counted at 23:27 Brasília time.
Why this runoff was historic
- A comeback. Flávio Bolsonaro led the first round on October 4, and Lula finished second. The Guardian reports that never since democracy returned in 1985 had the first-round runner-up won the second round.
- A swing state flipped in the story. In the first round Flávio Bolsonaro beat Lula in Minas Gerais, 48.43% to 43.33% (The Guardian). Minas Gerais is a bellwether state that Lula won in 2022.
- Fourth term. Lula served two terms from 2003 to 2010 and returned in 2023; he turns 81 on October 27 (The Guardian). Flávio Bolsonaro is 45, a lawyer and former senator from Rio, and the son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup attempt after the 2022 election (The Guardian).
- How Brazil elects a president. Brazil uses a two-round system: a candidate needs more than 50% of valid votes (blank and null votes are not counted), otherwise the top two meet in a runoff. There is no Electoral College.
What happens next
- The TSE publishes the official results and certifies the winner; see the TSE’s results portal for official numbers by state and municipality.
- Our news summary notes that AP News reported Bolsonaro did not accept the results. We have not independently confirmed the details of that report; read the AP story for the latest.
- Reactions: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Lula, according to India’s Press Information Bureau (as reported in our news summary).
- Follow our Brazil elections page. We never publish a winner before official or major-outlet reports.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Brazil presidential runoff?
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the October 25, 2026 runoff with 64,256,232 votes (51.79% of valid votes) against Flávio Bolsonaro’s 59,826,041 (48.21%), according to TSE totals.
How many votes did Lula win by?
About 4.43 million votes (64,256,232 minus 59,826,041 equals 4,430,191).
What was the turnout in Brazil’s runoff?
Election Index reports turnout of 80.8% (128,236,074 voters) and O Globo reports 30,509,005 abstentions.
Had a first-round runner-up ever won before?
The Guardian reports that never since democracy returned in 1985 had the first-round runner-up won the runoff.
Are these results official?
They are the TSE’s final machine totals reported by O Globo, the Guardian and Election Index. The TSE’s results portal is the official source.
Sources
- O Globo – TSE resultados 2026: apuração oficial do 2º turno
- The Guardian – Brazil election 2026: full second round results
- Election Index – Brazil runoff 2026
- TSE – Resultados 2026, boletim de urna (open data)
Every figure above comes from the sources listed here and was read on October 27, 2026. Where a number comes from a news outlet rather than the election office, the text says so.
