Brazil Opens Polls as Presidential Rivals Compete for Power
Incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party and Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party are leading the presidential contest. They are among 12 candidates competing for the presidency, while the two remain the only contenders polling in double digits.
Voting centers opened at 8 am local time (1100GMT) and are expected to remain operational until 5 pm.
Brazilian electoral rules require a presidential candidate to obtain more than half of all valid votes to win outright. If no contender reaches that mark in the first round, the two candidates with the highest vote totals will face each other in a runoff scheduled for Oct. 25.
In addition to the presidency, voters are selecting governors and vice governors across the country’s 26 states and Federal District. They are also choosing all 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies, two-thirds of the Federal Senate and representatives for state legislatures.
The election takes place amid pronounced political polarization, with public safety, economic conditions and foreign policy emerging as major campaign issues.
Electronic voting machines are being used nationwide, allowing election authorities to start announcing official results soon after polling stations close.
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