Jorginho Mello to take leave of absence for reelection campaign

The Legislative Assembly of Santa Catarina (Alesc) has approved a request for Governor Jorginho Mello to take a leave of absence from August 29 to October 5, 2026. The leave is for personal reasons to allow Mello to focus on his reelection campaign. During this period, Vice-Governor Marilisa Boehm will assume the leadership of the state executive branch.

In the broader political landscape of Santa Catarina, the 2026 elections are seeing significant activity. The Regional Electoral Court (TRE-SC) reported 176 complaints of irregular electoral propaganda within the first ten days of the campaign, with Florianópolis recording the highest number of incidents. Most complaints involve public space advertising and internet content.

Polling data indicates Mello holds a strong position in the race, leading his opponent João Rodrigues by 33 percentage points. Notably, research suggests Mello maintains some support among voters traditionally aligned with the PT party. Meanwhile, various political federations and individual candidates, such as Carla Ayres, are actively campaigning across different regions of the state.