Brazil's 2026 Runoff Sees Biggest Drop in Voter Abstention Since 1989

Brazil's 2026 presidential election recorded the largest drop in voter abstention between the first and second rounds since the country's re-democratization, falling 1.87 percentage points from 21.08% to 19.21%, according to data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) with 99.91% of polling stations counted. In the second round, 30,463,758 voters did not cast ballots, compared to 33,469,244 in the first round. This is only the second time since 1989 that abstention decreased between rounds, following 2022 when it fell 0.36 percentage points. The current second-round abstention rate is the lowest since 2006, when it was 18.99%. The campaign saw strong voter mobilization, particularly among left-wing supporters, after a first round marked by apathy and scandals involving Supreme Court justices. Blank and null votes also declined, dropping from 4.77% to 3.24% of total votes cast.