Presidential elections in Brazil


Direct presidential elections are held in Brazil as part of the general elections every four years, typically in October. The current electoral law provides for a two-round system in which a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win in the first round; if no candidate passes the 50% threshold, a run-off is held between the top two candidates. Every candidate has a running mate who disputes the post of vice-president; prior to 1966, the vice-president was elected separately.
The country has held presidential elections since 1891, spanning over a period of several different republican governments and national constitutions.
This list shows the winner of the elections and the runner-up.

Old Republic">First Brazilian Republic">Old Republic

According to the 1891 Constitution, the right to vote was restricted to men over 21 years old who were not illiterate, homeless or enlisted-rank soldiers. The elections for president and vice-president were held separately and the same person could be a candidate for both.
Overall, only a small portion of the population voted. Since coronelism was common, the colonel elites often persuaded people to vote for certain candidates.

1891

The very first president was elected indirectly by the Congress.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Marshal
Deodoro da Fonseca
Prudente de Morais
Votes129
97

From 1894 on, elections were held every four years.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Prudente de Morais

Afonso Pena
Votes276,583
38,291

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Campos Sales

Lauro Sodré
Votes420,286
38,929

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Rodrigues Alves

Quintino Bocaiuva
Votes592,039
42,542

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Afonso Pena

Lauro Sodré
Votes288,285
4,865

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Marshal
Hermes da Fonseca

Ruy Barbosa
Votes403,867
222,822

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Venceslau Brás

Ruy Barbosa
Votes532,107
47,782

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Rodrigues Alves

Nilo Peçanha
Votes386,467
1,768

Since Rodrigues Alves, the President-elect, caught the Spanish flu before taking office, a new election was held in 1919.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Epitácio Pessoa

Ruy Barbosa
Votes286,373
116,414

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Artur Bernardes

Nilo Peçanha
Votes466,877
317,714

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Washington Luís

Joaquim Assis Brasil
Votes688 528
1,116

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Júlio Prestes

Getúlio Vargas
Votes1 091 709
742 794

With the Revolution of 1930, the country was governed until 1930 by a military triumvirate, while Getúlio Vargas was the de facto president. The new Constitution predicted that the first president would be chosen by the Congress in an indirect election.

1934

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Getúlio Vargas

Borges de Medeiros
Votes175
59

A second election was scheduled for 1938, but it did not happen due to the 1937 Revolution, under which another Constitution was written.

Second Republic">Second Brazilian Republic">Second Republic

After Vargas was forced to resign in 1945, a new state was born under a democratic constitution written in 1946. The new law predicted direct elections every 5 years for both president and vice-president and women could now vote.

1945

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Marhsal
Eurico Gaspar

Air Marshal
Eduardo Gomes
Votes3,251,507
2,039,341

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Getúlio Vargas

Air Marshal
Eduardo Gomes
Votes3,849,040
2,342,384

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Juscelino Kubitschek

Marshal
Juarez Távora
Votes3,077,411
2,610,462

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Jânio Quadros

Marshal
Henrique Teixeira Lott
Votes5,636,623
3,846,825

With the 1964 military coup d'état, the direct democracy ended and presidents were now elected by the Congress. The interval between elections was irregular.

1964

WinnerRunner-upThird place
Candidate
Marshal
Castelo Branco
Marshal
Juarez Távora

Marshal
Gaspar Dutra
Votes361
3
2

1966

With the two-party system, only ARENA and MDB could dispute elections. President and vice-president were now part of the same ticket. The 1966 and 1969 elections had only one candidate.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Marshal
Costa e Silva
'		none
Votes294
'		–

1969

First election under the 1967 Constitution.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
General
Emílio Médici
'		none
Votes293
'		–

1974

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
General
Ernesto Geisel
'
Ulysses Guimarães
Votes400
'		76

1978

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
General
João Figueiredo

General
Euler Monteiro
Votes355
225

1985

The two-party system ended in 1979 and many other parties were created. This was the last election under the military regime.
WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Tancredo Neves

Paulo Maluf
Votes480
180

New Republic">History of Brazil since 1985">New Republic

Under the current Constitution enacted in October 1988, elections are held every four years and citizens elect a ticket for both president and vice-president. Voting is mandatory for men and women between 18 and 70 years old who are not illiterate, and optional for people aged 16–17, over 70, and illiterates.

1989

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Fernando Collor

Lula
Votes
20,611,011
11,622,673
Votes
35,089,998
31,076,364

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
FHC

Lula
Votes
34,314,961
17,112,127
Votes
––

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
FHC

Lula
Votes
35,936,540
21,475,218
Votes
––

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Lula

José Serra
Votes
39,455,233
19,705,445
Votes
52,793,364
33,370,739

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Lula

Geraldo Alckimin
Votes
46,662,365
39,968,369
Votes
58,295,042
37,543,178

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Dilma Rousseff

José Serra
Votes
47,651,434
33,132,283
Votes
55,752,529
43,711,388

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Dilma Rousseff

Aécio Neves
Votes
43,267,668
34,897,211
Votes
54,501,118
51,041,155

WinnerRunner-up
Candidate
Jair Bolsonaro

Fernando Haddad
Votes
49,276,990
31,342,005
Votes
57,782,731
47,017,752