BRASILIA, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Voting in the second round of Brazil's 2026 presidential election officially began at 8 a.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Sunday, with polling stations across the nation set to close at 5 p.m. local time.
Incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the ruling Workers' Party faces Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party candidate and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in the runoff after the two topped the first-round vote.
In the first round held on Oct. 4, Bolsonaro led with about 47 percent of valid votes, while Lula came second, trailing by roughly two percentage points. Several recent opinion polls have shown a tight race between the two candidates.
Under Brazil's electoral rules, a presidential candidate who secures more than half of the valid votes in the first round wins outright. Otherwise, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff to determine the winner. ■
