Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 26, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 26, 2026
Brazil counts votes in presidential election, with Lula da Silva taking early lead over Bolsonaro
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Supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gather on runoff election night in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Brazil resumes counting votes in a tight presidential runoff following a two-hour extension requested by both President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro.
The first counted votes had appeared on the top electoral court’s website before a Supreme Court judge ordered the extension. The results are expected within hours.
Incumbent Lula da Silva has taken an early lead over Bolsonaro, official results show.
With 5.02% of ballots tallied, the leftist incumbent had 51.16 percent of the valid votes — which exclude blank and null ballots — against the right-wing challenger’s 48.84%, according to Brazil’s electoral authority.
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