A tight race between two well-known names
Brazilians voted on Sunday in a presidential election that sets up a close contest between two familiar figures. Incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking a fourth term. His main challenger is Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who leads the conservative movement after the conviction of his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Polling before the vote put the two men about two points apart. Eleven other candidates were on the ballot, but together they were expected to win only about ten percent of the vote. That means the result will most likely be decided in a second round.
What happens if nobody wins outright
Brazil's rules are simple. If no candidate wins more than fifty percent of valid votes, the top two candidates move to a runoff. That second vote is set for October 25. The Superior Electoral Court has not fixed a time for releasing results, but electronic voting means counts usually arrive within hours.
More than 158 million people were eligible to vote, including about one million Brazilians living abroad. Voting is compulsory for most adults.
The issues driving the campaign
Lula campaigned on his record in office and on social programs that support poorer families. Bolsonaro promised a harder line on crime and closer cooperation with the United States under President Donald Trump. His supporters waved national flags at rallies in Rio de Janeiro in the final days of the campaign.
Turnout and the size of the protest vote are likely to shape the race. Analysts say the runoff will depend on whether the smaller parties can move their voters behind one of the two leaders. Both camps say they expect a long night of counting.