Commencement of Municipal Elections in Brazil
In Brazil, the local elections commenced on a Sunday, initiating at 8:00 AM (1:00 PM BST). Approximately 156 million locals have been tasked to cast their votes for the mayor and local council members in more than 5,500 municipalities. This vote serves as a significant checkpoint for the administration of left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, halfway through its term. The outcome in São Paulo, the most populous city in Latin America, is deeply anticipated.
Three contenders are contending in São Paulo. Together with the incumbent mayor, Ricardo Nunes, who is an ally of ex-right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, there's Guilherme Boulos, backed by Lula, and extreme conservative figurehead Pablo Marçal, presenting himself as an anti-establishment candidate. Recent surveys point to Boulos having a slim lead over Nunes and Marçal.
If no candidate secures a majority of votes in municipalities on Sunday, runoff elections will take place on October 27. A runoff is highly speculated in São Paulo. According to polls, a victor may be crowned in the first round in 11 of the 26 major urban centers.
To maintain a seamless and secure voting process, over 23,000 soldiers have been deployed throughout the nation. Authorities had concerns about potential chaos due to rampant crime. A voter in São Paulo described the ambiance as "anxious" and the campaign as "highly combative."
In the given context, the elections in Brazil commenced at 8:00 AM for the locals, and they were initially apprehensive due to potential chaos caused by rampant crime. In anticipation of a close race, a runoff election is highly speculated in the highly combative campaign of São Paulo.
