Edilson Damião declared eligible for Roraima Senate race

The Regional Electoral Court of Roraima (TRE-RR) has unanimously ruled that former governor Edilson Damião is eligible to run for the Senate in the 2026 elections. The court granted an exception to the constitutional rule requiring governors to resign six months prior to an election to run for a different office.

Damião assumed the governorship in March 2026 following the resignation of Antônio Denarium. Shortly after, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) ordered Damião's removal from office due to a decision regarding the cassation of the 2022 electoral slate.

The TRE-RR determined that because Damião was removed from his position by judicial mandate rather than by choice, the risk of using administrative structures for electoral advantage was non-existent. The court also noted that the TSE had not held Damião personally responsible for the electoral irregularities that led to the slate's cassation. Consequently, the court ruled that enforcing the standard resignation rule would constitute a disproportionate restriction of his political rights.