Brazil's 2026 election sees women become majority of voters
Women now make up 52.8% of Brazil's eligible electorate for the 2026 general election, giving them a numerical advantage of about 9.1 million over men. The gap has widened from a 5.1 million surplus in 2010. Analyses show that the Workers' Party (PT) performed roughly ten percentage points better among female voters than among men in the 2018 and 2022 presidential contests. Polls released in June indicate that 44% of women would back President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Flávio Bolsonaro in a simulated runoff, while only 26% would support Bolsonaro. Another survey finds 50% of women approve of Lula’s government.
State‑level data confirm the national trend. In Mato Grosso, women account for 51% of the electorate, most of them aged 30‑44. In Mato Grosso do Sul, women represent 52.81% of voters, outnumbering men by 113,879, a margin larger than that of the state's two biggest municipalities combined.
Within the same election cycle, the Novo party is counting on former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema’s presidential candidacy to overcome the electoral‑barrier it failed to clear in 2022, when it received just 1.24% of valid votes. Under the constitutional amendment, Novo must capture at least 2.5% of valid votes nationwide in 2026 to retain full party status.
Entities: Brazil · Brazilian women voters · Flávio Bolsonaro · Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva · Michelle Bolsonaro · Novo party · Romeu Zema
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Brazil has 158,745,463 eligible voters for the 2026 elections. (TSE data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The total number of eligible voters may decrease later due to deaths or future convictions. (TSE official comment)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Women constitute 52.8% of Brazil's electorate in 2026, about 9.1 million more than men. (researcher analysis)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Indigenous voters in Paraná increased by 55% from 2024 to 2026, reaching 6,132. (TSE data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Biometric registration in Ceará reached 94.73% in 2026. (TRE‑CE data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ceará's electorate increased from 5.49 million in 2002 to 6.99 million in 2026, a 27% rise. (TRE‑CE historical series)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 97.37% of Paraná's voters have valid biometrics, the second highest rate in Brazil. (TSE data)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Women represent 53% of Paraná's electorate. (TSE demographic breakdown)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Datafolha poll shows 44% of women would back Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro in a simulated second round, versus 26% for Bolsonaro. (Datafolha poll)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Romeu Zema is a pre‑candidate for the presidency and his campaign is intended to help the Novo party overcome the electoral‑performance barrier. (Party analysis)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Women constitute 52.8% of eligible voters for Brazil's 2026 election, a 9.1 million advantage over men. (d0219b74-982b-479d-9e97-6e51d3ad0eeb)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Flávio Bolsonaro is a pre‑candidate for the presidency and has not yet selected a running mate. (Party convention reporting)