Each vote matters! - Brazilian Elections

In October 2022, the general elections in Brazil occurred and the feelings involving anxiety and concern about the future followed the population, even before the elections campaign. In the first round, electors from all states had to vote for these candidates: president, governor, senator, state and federal congressperson. Consequently, in the second round, some states had to vote for, one more time, their governor candidate, apart from the president, disputed between Jair Bolsonaro, the current president, and Lula, ex-president of Brazil.

This specific presidential election represents the fiercer dispute in Brazilian history, since the redemocratization. In other words, it means that the percentage difference of votes between the candidates was very tight. Lula won with 50,83% votes against Bolsonaro’s 49,17%. As it can be seen, the electors were divided in their opinions.

In addition, the 2022 Brazilian presidential elections show other curiosities. It was the first time that one actual president couldn't re-elect. Equally important, never before an ex-president returned to the office and the amount of null and blank votes were higher than the difference of votes between the candidates.

After the result, Bolsonaro supporters are holding protests in some regions of the country asking

for military intervention, because they are afraid of Lula’s government and the consequences. All in all, independent of who is the president, I hope Brazil develops and will be a good place to live, especially after the pandemic effects.

CAPTIONS

• Concern: A feeling of anxiety. Worry; apprehension; anguish; tension.

• Campaign: An action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end. Tactic; scheme; method; program.

• Congressperson: A man or a woman who belongs to a congress, especially a member of the Representatives. Legislator; deputy; lawmaker.

• Between: Indicating a connection or relationship involving two or more elements. In the middle of; midway; amid; amidst

• Fiercer: Comparative for having or showing passion in the pursuit of a goal. Ambitious; hungrier; eagerer; rigider.

• Tight: Very closely and tensely. Tough; hard; narrow.

• Won: Ending or culminating in victory or triumph. Victorious; triumphant; winning; successful; champion.

• Against: In opposition to. Contra; anti; in spite of; averse to.

• Null: Having a state or value of nothing. Nonexistent; ineffectual; useless; unproductive; unsuccessful.

• Holding: The state of being engrossed in something. immersion; involvement; engagement

• All in all: All things considered. Generally; overall; on the whole; altogether; at the end of the day.