Brazil votes in presidential election

Brazilians are voting on Sunday in a first-round presidential election that pits leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Most opinion surveys favor Lula, who was president from 2003 to 2010, by 10-15 percentage points.

If Lula wins more than 50% of valid votes, which several pollsters show within reach, that would clinch an outright victory, foregoing a second-round vote.

If no candidate wins more than half of the votes, excluding blank and spoiled ballots, the top two finishers go to an Oct. 30 run-off, prolonging the tense campaign season.

A winner could be announced within hours after polling stations close at 5 p.m. Brasilia time (2000 GMT).

Bolsonaro has threatened to contest the result of the vote, after making baseless allegations of fraud, accusing electoral authorities of plotting against him.

A decisive victory by Lula on Sunday could reduce the odds of a tumultuous transition.

Bolsonaro says he will respect the election result if voting is “clean and transparent,” without defining any criteria.

Following Bolsonaro’s criticisms of Brazil’s voting systems, the TSE invited a record number of foreign election observers, including first-time missions from U.S. observers at the Carter Center and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

Chamber of Congress

Brazilians are also voting on Sunday for all 513 members of the lower chamber of Congress, a third of the 81 members of the Senate, and state governors and legislatures.

Also Read: Bolsonaro Narrows Lula’s Lead Ahead of Brazil Election

Though Lula leads the presidential race, the conservative coalition backing Bolsonaro is expected to hold a majority in both chambers of Congress.

Lula and Bolsonaro have both promised more generous welfare spending next year, adding to pressure on the federal budget and leading both to look at alternatives to current spending rules.

As in past elections, Brazil’s military has been mobilized to heighten security at some 477,000 polling stations, using electronic voting machines that allow for the swift tabulation of results by the national electoral authority (TSE).

Zainab Sa’id