Brazil 2026 elections in the Greater ABC: a complete voter guide for October 4

On Sunday, October 4, 2026, voters in Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, São Caetano do Sul, Diadema, Mauá, Ribeirão Pires and Rio Grande da Serra, the seven cities of the Greater ABC region of São Paulo, go to the polls for the first round of Brazil’s general elections. This guide covers everything you need to know before leaving home: voting hours, required documents, the order of the six votes, free public transport in each city and what to do if you cannot vote.

Election date and voting hours

Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Brasília time. Anyone already in line when polls close is still allowed to vote. If a runoff is needed, it will take place on October 25, only for president and governor.

Tip: avoid peak times, usually mid-morning and late afternoon. Voting early or around lunchtime tends to be faster.

Documents: what to bring

You must show an official photo ID to enter the polling station. The printed voter card (título de eleitor) is no longer required, but it helps poll workers find your name. Accepted documents include:

• RG (national ID card) or social ID
• Driver’s license (CNH)
• Passport
• Work card (carteira de trabalho)
• Military reservist certificate
• Professional ID card recognized by law

The document may be expired, as long as it still proves your identity. Birth and marriage certificates are not accepted.

The e-Título app also works as ID, but only if your record includes a photo, which is the case for voters who registered biometrics. If the app shows no photo, bring a physical document. Install and test e-Título before Sunday: on election day, demand often overloads the system.

The six votes, in ballot order

In 2026 you will cast six votes, in the order set by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE):

1. Federal deputy: 4 digits
2. State deputy: 5 digits
3. Senator (first seat): 3 digits
4. Senator (second seat): 3 digits
5. Governor: 2 digits
6. President: 2 digits

Pay attention to the Senate: two seats are up in 2026, so you enter two different numbers, one at a time. If you repeat the same candidate for the second seat, that second vote is void.

After each number, the machine shows the candidate’s photo, name, office and party. Since 2022, the “Confirma” key stays locked for one second while the message “Confira seu voto” (check your vote) is displayed, to prevent hasty confirmations.

Bring a written “cheat sheet”

The Electoral Court itself recommends bringing a note on paper with your candidates’ numbers in voting order. Use this template:

Office	Candidate number
Federal deputy	_ _ _ _
State deputy	_ _ _ _ _
Senator 1	_ _ _
Senator 2	_ _ _
Governor	_ _
President	_ _

Cell phones are not allowed in the voting booth: you leave your phone with the poll workers before voting. That is why your notes must be on paper.

Free buses in the Greater ABC on election day

Six of the seven cities in the region have confirmed free municipal bus service on October 4 and on October 25 if there is a runoff. Here is the situation in each city (as of September 2026):

City	Status
São Bernardo do Campo	Free from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. by decree, with weekday fleet
Mauá	Free by decree of July 16, with weekday schedules
Santo André	Free service confirmed (in 2024 it ran 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on SATrans lines, except executive lines)
Diadema	Free service confirmed
São Caetano do Sul	Free service confirmed
Rio Grande da Serra	Free service confirmed
Ribeirão Pires	Undecided as of early September; check city hall channels

Important: free fares apply to municipal lines only. EMTU intercity buses, CPTM trains and the ABD trolleybus corridor follow their own rules. If you vote in another city, check before you go.

How to find your polling station

You can look up your polling station and section in the e-Título app (“Onde votar” tab), on the TSE website (“Autoatendimento do eleitor”) or on the TRE-SP website. Have your CPF or voter card number at hand. Polling locations can change between elections, so check even if you have voted at the same place for years.

Can’t vote? How to justify your absence

Voters who are away from their electoral district on election day can justify their absence on October 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or afterwards, within 60 days of each round.

• On election day: through the e-Título app, which uses your phone’s location to show you are outside your city, or at any polling station using the justification form.
• Afterwards: through e-Título, the TSE website or an electoral registry office, attaching proof of the reason, such as a ticket or medical certificate.

Each round counts as a separate election: if you miss both, you must justify both. Voters who neither vote nor justify pay a fine and may have their voter registration canceled after three consecutive unjustified absences.

Voting is mandatory for citizens aged 18 to 70 and optional for 16- and 17-year-olds, people over 70 and those who cannot read.

Election day checklist

• Check your polling station and section on e-Título or the TSE website
• Set aside an official photo ID
• Fill in your paper cheat sheet in ballot order
• Check whether buses in your city are free
• Leave early and avoid late afternoon
• Keep your proof of voting (it is also recorded in e-Título)