Elections 2024: I didn’t vote in the first round, can I vote in the second?

Three weeks after the first round of the 2024 municipal elections, around 34 million Brazilians are expected to return to the polls to choose the mayor and vice-mayor who will command 51 municipalities for the next four years.

A frequent question from voters in locations where the second round will be held, on October 27, is whether those who did not participate in the first vote can now go to the polling stations to vote.

READ MORE: What happens if I don’t vote?

The answer is yes. Qualified voters who did not vote in the first round not only can, but must participate in the second round of the election in the municipalities where there is a dispute, as voting is mandatory for a large part of the population.

The Electoral Court considers each voting round to be an independent election for the purpose of voter attendance at the electronic ballot box. In other words: the absence of attendance in the first round does not prevent eligible voters from exercising their right to vote in a possible second round of voting.

READ ALSO: Can I vote in the second round if I am in another city?

Likewise, in case of absence in this new vote, the voter will need to justify themselves to the Electoral Court.

In Brazil, electoral registration and voting are mandatory for those over 18 years of age and optional for young people aged 16 and 17, for those over 70 years of age and for illiterate people.

Those who did not vote in the 1st round of the 2024 Municipal Elections nor were able to justify their absence from the polls on voting day have until December 5th to present their justification.

The procedure can be carried out using the e-Título application, the Justifica System or Electoral Self-Service, available on the Electoral Justice Portals.

With the request, it is mandatory to attach documents that prove the impossibility of voting, such as tickets, boarding passes, medical certificate, among others.

If the voter does not have access to the online justification tools, they must go to any electoral registry office or the Voter Service Center in their state to present the request in person, with the same documents mentioned above.

(with information from the TSE)