São Paulo teenager launches platform to guide young Brazilian voters

Maurício Melzer, a 16-year-old student from São Paulo, has launched votae.org, a digital platform designed to assist first-time voters in navigating the Brazilian political system.

The website provides accessible information regarding the roles of various political offices and details on registered candidates, utilizing data sourced from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). The initiative was prompted by Melzer’s own difficulty in understanding the functions of the National Congress, senators, and deputies after obtaining his voter registration.

With approximately 19.2 million voters aged 16 to 24—representing 12% of the Brazilian electorate—and nearly 21,000 candidates nationwide, the platform aims to translate complex political language into a format more engaging for young people. In the state of São Paulo alone, there are roughly 2,600 candidates contesting various positions, including president, governor, senators, and federal and state deputies.