If no presidential candidate in Brazil wins more than half of the valid votes in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff. The runoff is a new election: only its valid votes determine the winner, and blank and null votes are excluded from the valid-vote total.
What counts as a majority?
The threshold is an absolute majority of valid votes—not a majority of every ballot cast. Blank and null votes are not valid votes for this calculation. So a candidate can win more than half of the valid votes without receiving more than half of all ballots, including blank and null ballots. Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) explains the rule in its majority-system glossary and election-law compilation.
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For example, if an election has 100 valid votes, a candidate needs at least 51 to win outright. This is only an illustration; the actual threshold depends on the valid-vote total.
What happens if no one reaches that threshold?
The two first-round leaders qualify for a second round. The other candidates are eliminated from the presidential contest. In the runoff, voters choose between the two finalists, and the candidate who wins a majority of the valid votes is elected. The first-round totals do not carry over or get added to the runoff count. The TSE’s presidential-election explainer describes the second round as a new vote contested by the first-round’s two top candidates.
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When is the runoff held?
Brazil’s election law sets the second round for the last Sunday in October. For the 2026 presidential election, the first round was scheduled for October 4 and a runoff, if needed, for October 25. The Associated Press reported that schedule on October 3, 2026 (AP report). Those are scheduled dates, not confirmation that a runoff took place or a statement of its result.
Which other Brazilian elections use a runoff?
The two-round absolute-majority rule does not apply to every Brazilian office. The TSE glossary identifies these distinctions:
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| Office or race | Decision rule |
|---|---|
| President | Absolute majority of valid votes; if no candidate reaches it, the top two proceed to a runoff. |
| Governor | Absolute majority of valid votes; if no candidate reaches it, the top two proceed to a runoff. |
| Mayor in a municipality with more than 200,000 registered voters | Absolute-majority, two-round rule. |
| Senator | Relative majority; no runoff under this rule. |
| Mayor in a municipality with fewer than 200,000 registered voters | Relative majority; no runoff under this rule. |
The 200,000 figure is the number of registered voters in the municipality, not the number who turn out. The TSE’s glossary distinguishes these offices and rules.
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What if a runoff finalist cannot compete?
If a finalist dies, withdraws, or is legally barred before the second round, the election law provides for the candidate with the next-highest first-round vote total to take that place. If candidates are tied for second, the older candidate qualifies. This contingency appears in Article 2 of the election law.
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