10.4 million late voters helped Lula win Brazil's runoff

Lula secured 10.4 million additional votes in the second round of Brazil's presidential election to win the presidency. The former and current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will begin his fourth non-consecutive term on January 5, 2027. He won the runoff held on Sunday with more than 64 million votes. His opponent, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received just under 60 million votes. The margin of victory was nearly 4 percent.

The victory came after a chaotic final day of voting. A Supreme Court justice ordered a nationwide extension of voting hours minutes before the polls were scheduled to close at 5 p.m. The decision was requested by both candidates. Lula cited transportation issues in Sao Paulo and Salvador, while Bolsonaro pointed to heavy rains in the south. Because of the quick turnaround, many polling stations learned of the extension while they were already shutting down.

Analysts attribute the turnaround to a surge in voter turnout. A total of 14.1 million people voted in the second round who had not participated in the first. This group included non-voters, blank-ballot casters, and supporters of third-party candidates. Estimates suggest that three-quarters of these new voters chose Lula. The second round also recorded the lowest number of abstentions in Brazilian history, a sharp contrast to the record high non-vote rate in the first round.

A key factor in mobilizing these voters was a digital campaign led by lawmaker André Janones. Janones used a WhatsApp channel called "Lula's Army" to reach almost 11 million people. He maintained a constant stream of messages on social media. Oliver Stuenkel, a professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo, noted that the campaign adopted an aggressive style similar to the right's approach. "The defeat in the first round jolted the Lula campaign into action," Stuenkel said.

Flavio Bolsonaro has challenged the outcome. At a news conference on Sunday, he said he planned to request an annulment of the election. It remains unclear which legal path he will take. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence for a coup attempt and also lost to Lula in 2022. Flavio visited his father, who is under house arrest, on Monday.

President Donald Trump also disputed the results on Monday. He told reporters that the election looked "rigged" and that the tabulation process had a "very bad look." He did not provide specific evidence for his claim. Despite the challenges, early signs suggest the results will be respected. Kassio Nunes, the president of Brazil's electoral authority, recognized Lula's victory on Sunday. He was appointed to the Supreme Court by Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula faces a difficult path ahead as the country deals with political polarization and a potential fiscal crisis. A right-wing Congress, where Bolsonaro's party holds the most seats, will check his power. Bolsonaro remains a senator until his term ends in January. Brian Winter, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, warned that the Bolsonaro family could make life difficult for the new administration for months to come.

The next step is for the electoral courts to review the annulment request. Lula's team expects to hold a swearing-in ceremony in early January. The country has used electronic voting machines since the 1990s, a system that has generally produced fast and secure results with no significant fraud detected.