Lula and Bolsonaro in tight race as Brazil prepares to vote

A man hangs up merchandise for sale, bearing the image of presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) and his father, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one day before the general election, in Santa Barbara do Oeste, Brazil, on Saturday. | REUTERS

Bloomberg

Oct 4, 2026

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and rightwing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro remain locked in a tight race as Brazil prepares to vote in Sunday’s election, according to three new polls.

Lula would receive 47% to Bolsonaro’s 44% of valid votes, excluding blank and invalid ballots, in a first round scenario, an AtlasIntel survey published Saturday found.

The leftist president would take 45% to Bolsonaro’s 42% of valid votes in a first round scenario, a Datafolha survey published earlier found, according to the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper. Lula would have 46% to Bolsonaro’s 45% of valid votes in the first round in a separate Quaest poll, according to Globo, which commissioned the survey.

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