Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul loses 29,000 voters as election rolls shrink

More than 8.5 million people in Rio Grande do Sul will be eligible to vote in Brazil's October elections. Compared with the 2024 municipal vote, the state's electorate is down by 156,000, with the Sinos region alone losing 29,200 voters over the past two years. The greatest losses occurred in flood‑hit municipalities – Canoas dropped 6,700 voters, Novo Hamburgo 5,200 and São Leopoldo 4,300 – while smaller towns such as Sapucaia do Sul, Esteio, Sapiranga, Taquara and Montenegro also saw notable declines. Some areas grew, led by Nova Petrópolis (+463), Ivoti (+385), Tramandaí (+352) and Gramado (+314). In the Alto Taquari district, 158,745,463 voters are registered, with a 14% fall in turnout among 16‑17‑year‑olds since the last general election, offset by a similar rise among those over 60. Voter apathy remains high; in the 2022 election, roughly 32.8 million eligible Brazilians did not vote and 5.4 million cast blank or null ballots.