# Douglas Ruas proclaimed Rio de Janeiro governor

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/douglas-ruas-rio-de-janeiro-gubernatorial-election
> Updated: 2026-10-15T19:34:06.000Z. Sources: 39. Developments: 2.

The Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) has officially proclaimed Douglas Ruas (PL) as the winner of the Rio de Janeiro governorship in the first round of the 2026 elections. This follows a vote retotalization prompted by a Superior Electoral Court (TSE) decision to invalidate 274,411 votes cast for Anthony Garotinho (Republicanos) due to a rejected candidacy registration.

By excluding Garotinho’s votes from the calculation of valid votes, Ruas’s share rose to 50.88%, meeting the absolute majority required to bypass a runoff. His running mate, Fernanda Anchieta Louback, was also confirmed as vice-governor. The outcome has led to legal challenges, as the PSD party filed an action with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) seeking an injunction to suspend the recount and reinstate the second round of voting.

In preparation for his administration, Ruas has announced the first members of his transition team, coordinated by State Secretary of Cities Maria Gabriela Bessa. The team aims to restructure the state government by reducing the number of secretariats from 30 to at least 21. 

As part of his platform, Ruas has proposed creating a dedicated State Secretariat for Inclusive Policies. This initiative seeks to elevate disability-related policies from a sub-secretariat to a full department, overseeing inclusion across health, education, and sports. Ruas has pledged to ensure the presence of support teachers throughout the state education network to assist students with disabilities.

## Claims

- Douglas Ruas (PL) was proclaimed the winner of the Rio de Janeiro governorship in the first round. (disputed by 21 sources)
- The TRE-RJ decided to request federal troops to reinforce security during the second round of elections on October 25. (disputed by 14 sources)
- The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) rejected Anthony Garotinho's candidacy registration. (corroborated by 20 sources)
- The TSE ruled 274,411 votes cast for Anthony Garotinho as null. (corroborated by 20 sources)
- The TRE-RJ unanimously ratified the vote recount results for the 2026 gubernatorial election. (corroborated by 17 sources)
- The inauguration ceremony for the elected officials is scheduled for December 18. (corroborated by 17 sources)
- The PSD party filed an action with the Supreme Federal Court seeking to suspend the vote recount and restore the second round. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Bruno Bonetti and Fábio Araújo were chosen for the transition team of the Rio de Janeiro government. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-15: Douglas Ruas proclaimed Rio de Janeiro governor after vote recount

Douglas Ruas (PL) has been proclaimed governor of Rio de Janeiro after a vote recount. TRE-RJ has also requested federal troops to secure the upcoming presidential second round due to organized crime threats.

37 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/douglas-ruas-declared-winner-of-rio-de-janeiro-governorship-in-first-round

### 2026-09-21: Douglas Ruas proposes new Inclusive Policies Secretariat for Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro gubernatorial candidate Douglas Ruas proposed a new State Secretariat for Inclusive Policies to oversee disability rights in health, education, and sports.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/douglas-ruas-proposes-new-inclusive-policies-secretariat-for-rio-de-janeiro

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Cite as: Douglas Ruas proclaimed Rio de Janeiro governor. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/douglas-ruas-rio-de-janeiro-gubernatorial-election