Vote tally begins in Brazil as Jair Bolsonaro leads by majority

• With only 0.2% of electronic voting machines counted, both Lula and Bolsonaro have approximately 44% of the vote.
• The polls indicate that if Lula receives more than fifty percent of legitimate votes, he will secure an outright victory and avoid a runoff.
• If no candidate receives more than half of the vote, the top two will face off on October 30.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is predicted to defeat right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in the first round of Brazil’s most divisive election in decades. Vote counting began Sunday in the country’s decades-old, most polarised election.

With only 0.2% of electronic voting machines counted, both Lula and Bolsonaro have approximately 44% of the vote, according to the website of the national election authority.

There were reports of long lineups at polling sites that closed at 5:00 p.m. (2000 GMT) as many Brazilians voted in a tense election marked by isolated acts of violence and fears of a rapid increase in gun ownership under Jair Bolsonaro.

According to military police in Sao Paulo, a guy entered a voting station and opened fire on two police officers seeking medical assistance.

According to the majority of surveys, Lula leads Bolsonaro by 10 to 15 percentage points, but Bolsonaro has hinted he may refuse to accept loss, fueling worries of an institutional catastrophe. Several polls indicate that if Lula receives more than fifty percent of legitimate votes, he will secure an outright victory and avoid a runoff.

Ricardo Almeida, 45, voted in Brasilia while donning the yellow and green colors of the Brazilian flag. He stated, “I voted for (Bolsonaro) because of his Christian religion, his defense of family values, and his conservative views.”

Anna Luisa, a 70-year-old Rio de Janeiro resident, said she was voting for Lula for the first time while wearing a “Get Out Bozo” shirt.

“I have to take down Bolsonaro,” she declared, noting his “homophobia” and his longstanding support for Brazil’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

As a result of his conviction for accepting bribes, many Brazilians despise Lula, even though he left office in 2010 with record popularity. The president from 2003 to 2010 was imprisoned during the most recent election. However, the Supreme Court later overturned his sentence, allowing him to face Bolsonaro this year.

While voting in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Lula acknowledged the stunning turnaround in his fortunes following a politically motivated indictment.

“It’s an important day for me,” he said. “Four years ago, I couldn’t vote because I was the victim of a lie … I want to try to help my country to return to normal.”

Jair Bolsonaro voted in Rio and stated that he anticipated winning the election in the first round on Sunday despite his dismal performance in the polls, which he argues do not accurately reflect his popularity.

If no candidate receives more than half of the vote, eliminating blank and spoiled ballots, the top two candidates will face off on October 30.

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