Brazil heads to the polls as Lula faces off against Bolsonaro's son
Brazil's presidential election pits incumbent Lula da Silva against Flávio Bolsonaro, son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro, in a close contest. A runoff will follow on Oct. 25 if neither candidate secures a majority.
Brazilians are voting in a presidential election that has turned into a tight contest between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Early indications point to a close race between the two figures, each representing opposing ends of Brazil's political spectrum.
A possible second round
Under Brazilian electoral rules, a candidate must win more than half of the votes cast to be declared the outright winner in the first round. If no one crosses that threshold, the top two contenders will meet again in a runoff scheduled for October 25.
The election is being closely watched both within Brazil and internationally, as it effectively pits two political dynasties against each other: the left-leaning sitting president and the son of a right-wing former leader.
Jair Bolsonaro, who previously served as president and was later convicted and imprisoned, is unable to run himself, leaving his political legacy and support base to be carried forward in this race by his son, Flávio.
Final results, and whether a runoff will be needed, will become clear once vote counting concludes.
