Brazil: Celebrities face voter registration cancellations

Data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) reveals that several high-profile Brazilian celebrities, including Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade, singer Claudia Leitte, and influencer Felca, have had their voter registrations cancelled due to unjustified absences from voting.

Social media users began investigating the electoral status of public figures following demands for political engagement. In the case of Rebeca Andrade, her representatives stated the absences occurred while she was competing internationally, noting difficulties in regularizing her status due to temporary suspensions in TSE registration services.

Other notable figures with long-standing irregularities include singer Eduardo Costa, whose registration has been cancelled since 2015, and Flora Matos and Fabi Bang, whose statuses have been cancelled since 2019. Under Brazilian law, failure to vote or justify an absence results in a fine of R$ 3.51 per round. Repeated failures to vote or pay fines over three consecutive elections can lead to the cancellation of voter registration, which subsequently restricts access to public documents, government positions, and official educational enrollments.