Older Brazilians’ runoff turnout helped Lula secure historic fourth term

Elderly voters were credited with helping Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva overturn his first-round loss and win a historic fourth term as Brazil’s president. Images of people in their 80s, 90s and even 100s making the effort to vote became a symbol of the mobilisation behind his victory over far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.

More than one million people who missed the 4 October first round voted in the runoff on 25 October. Of the three million additional voters, 1.4 million were over 70, and turnout rose particularly among those aged 60 to 79; voting is compulsory only for people aged 18 to 69. Analysts are also examining other factors, including increased welfare benefits, a rapid expansion of a pro-Lula WhatsApp group and large street protests.