Lula Reclaims Lead in Brazil Runoff After Court Extends Voting

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva regained the lead in Brazil's presidential runoff with approximately 50% of votes counted at 8:30 p.m. Brasília time. The former president overtook Senator Flávio Bolsonaro after results from the northeastern region, a traditional stronghold for leftist candidates, began to pour in.

The shift in the tally followed a ruling by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, who previously served as Lula’s lawyer. Zanin granted a request from Lula’s campaign to extend voting hours in three cities in the state of Bahia due to reported public transportation issues. The decision arrived near the official 5 p.m. closing time, creating confusion as some polling stations had already shut.

Zanin ordered that stations which had closed could begin counting their ballots, while those still open could accept voters for two additional hours. The Superior Electoral Court, or TSE, paused the national count for two hours to accommodate the change. Polling data suggests higher-than-expected voter turnout benefited Lula. Andrei Roman, CEO of AtlasIntel, told Reuters that Lula would be re-elected, though the court had not yet declared a winner.

The extension mirrors a pattern often seen in Brazilian elections, where conservative candidates lead early before leftist candidates gain ground as results from poorer, more populous regions arrive later. Lula had initially led but was overtaken by Flávio Bolsonaro before regaining the advantage. Allies of Lula were already declaring victory on social media.

The pause adds complexity to a process still dealing with the fallout from 2022, when Jair Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat. His supporters later stormed government buildings, and he received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Vera Chemim, a constitutional lawyer in São Paulo, noted that the losing side might contest the outcome, arguing that many voters were unable to cast ballots even with the extended deadline.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, the senator’s brother, questioned the decision on a YouTube live stream. He asked why the Supreme Court ruled on a matter overseen by the electoral court, stating that the move “doesn’t inspire credibility.” Flávio Bolsonaro had also sought an extension in at least three states, citing bad weather. Lula had earlier claimed that “something abominable is happening” in the election after alleging that officials cut election-day bus service in at least nine states.

A court in Bahia ordered the arrest of a senior transportation official in Salvador over allegations that he directed a reduction in the city's bus fleet. President Donald Trump said he has not endorsed a candidate, telling reporters in Washington, “I don’t want to get into that, but we are watching.”