Politics · Brazil · 1 day ago
Douglas Ruas declared governor-elect of Rio after vote recount
Rio de Janeiro’s regional electoral court has declared Douglas Ruas the state’s governor-elect after recalculating the election results.
The recount followed a decision by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court to annul the votes cast for former governor Anthony Garotinho, whose candidacy was ruled invalid.
With those votes removed, Ruas received 50.88% of the valid votes, enough to win in the first round.
Eduardo Paes finished second with 44.16%.
Ruas, a first-term state deputy and former state Cities secretary, became the candidate after Rodrigo Bacellar was arrested.
At 37, Ruas is set to be the youngest governor to take office in Rio since the state’s current form was established in 1975.
He is scheduled to take office at Guanabara Palace on January 6.
Douglas Ruas was declared governor-elect of Rio de Janeiro after the state electoral court recalculated the votes.
The recount followed a decision by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court to annul Anthony Garotinho’s votes.
Ruas received 50.88% of valid votes, enough to win in the first round.
Eduardo Paes finished second with 44.16% of valid votes.
The recount was held in a public session on Saturday, October 10.
- Who
- Douglas Ruas (PL) was declared governor-elect by the Rio de Janeiro Regional Electoral Court.
- What
- The court recalculated the votes and confirmed Ruas’s first-round victory.
- When
- Saturday, October 10, 2026.
- Where
- Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
- Why
- The Superior Electoral Court annulled Anthony Garotinho’s votes, prompting a recount of valid votes.
TSE majority
TSE dissenting judges
Validity of Garotinho’s candidacy
TSE majority
The majority voted to reject Garotinho’s candidacy and annul his votes.
TSE dissenting judges
Villas Bôas Cuêva and Sebastião Reis Júnior favored keeping the votes valid.
Election outcome
TSE majority
With Garotinho’s votes annulled, Ruas had enough valid votes to win in the first round.
TSE dissenting judges
The dissenting judges argued that the votes should remain valid and that the state should have a second round.
O candidato mais votado para o cargo de governador do Estado do Rio de Janeiro foi Douglas Ruas, alcançando mais da metade dos votos válidos, o suficiente para vencer no primeiro turno das eleições. Este é o resultado.
Four TSE ministers joined the rapporteur in voting to reject Anthony Garotinho’s candidacy, while two judges dissented.
Supreme Court minister Cristiano Zanin rejected Eduardo Paes’s campaign challenge to the TSE decision.
The Rio de Janeiro Regional Electoral Court recalculated the votes and declared Douglas Ruas governor-elect.
- Ruas’s share
- 50.88% of valid votes
- Paes’s share
- 44.16% of valid votes
- Garotinho’s annulled votes
- 274,411 votes, or 3.17% of valid votes
- Recount date
- October 10, 2026
Sources
Related news
Opposition seeks to delay Senate vote on ending the 6x1 work schedule
Lula campaign accuses Meta of limiting its posts before Brazil runoff
Northeast is not more dominated by the left than the rest of Brazil
São Paulo officers removed from duty after 20-year-old is fatally shot
Flávio Bolsonaro asks election court to investigate Brazil’s police chief
Tarcísio and Nunes confirm São Paulo rally for Flávio Bolsonaro
Transparency group renews complaint over AGU payment data
Brazil court suspends Stake’s temporary permission to operate
Brazil cuts fuel taxes and expands subsidies in R$5.2 billion package
Pro-Lula rally attendees damage entrances to two São Paulo metro stations
Brazil's presidential candidates rally support ahead of October 25 runoff
