{"id":84388,"date":"2026-10-22T12:44:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T15:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=84388"},"modified":"2026-10-22T12:52:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T15:52:57","slug":"who-benefits-from-low-voter-turnout-in-favelas-ask-voicesfromsocialmedia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=84388","title":{"rendered":"Polling Location Changes in Favelas That Typically Support Lula Led to Significant Abstentions in Brazil’s First Round Voting, Raising Profound Ethical Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A voting queue outside Our Lady of Navigators Church in the Mar\u00e9 favela electoral zone. Photo: Gabi Lino\/Mar\u00e9 de Not\u00edcias<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This article is part of a series on the 2026 Brazilian elections<\/a>, focusing on the perspectives of Greater Rio\u2019s favelas.<\/em><\/p>\n

In the first round of Brazil\u2019s 2026 elections, Rio de Janeiro\u2019s Regional Electoral Court (TRE-RJ) ordered changes to 277 polling stations, 72 of which were justified on public security\u00a0grounds<\/a>, aiming to \u201cimpede\u201d voting from taking place in areas dominated by criminal groups and militias or classified as high-risk\u2014though this is virtually impossible<\/a> in present-day Rio de Janeiro.<\/p>\n

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The result was that voters in favelas confronted significant obstacles when they tried to vote: sudden changes in polling locations, chaos, lack of information, and long voting lines that kept them waiting for up to four hours.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The most affected areas include Complexo da Mar\u00e9<\/a>, the neighborhoods of Ramos<\/a>, Olaria<\/a> and Penha<\/a>, where many residents of the Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a> and Complexo da Penha<\/a> favelas, in the city’s North Zone<\/a>, vote, as well as Rocinha<\/a>, in the South Zone<\/a>, and City of God<\/a>, in the Southwest Zone<\/a>. Historically, these are among the favelas that have been most vocal during election season<\/a>, defended democracy<\/a> and helped secure victories<\/a> for President Lula<\/a> in both the 2022 and 2026 elections<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Polling Locations Moved Out of Favelas and Endless Lines<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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For those already used to voting near their homes, the changes were drastic. For example, the massive<\/a> Complexo da Mar\u00e9 had five polling locations removed from within the community, forcing 52% of residents<\/a> to travel to vote and contributing to an abnormally high abstention rate. Over 30,000 Mar\u00e9 residents<\/a> had their polling locations moved to Bonsucesso<\/a> or Avenida Brasil<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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To consider just how far this is by using Google Maps, there is a 3.5-kilometer (over 2 miles) difference between Mar\u00e9 voters\u2019 old polling location and their new polling location, which is nearly a 50-minute walk. Many voters only discovered their polling location was changed once they went to vote or a few days prior to the election.<\/div>\n
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\"The<\/a>
The former polling location at Josu\u00e9 de Castro School, where Vitor used to vote in Vila do Jo\u00e3o, is now nearly an hour away by foot. Screenshot: Google Maps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For those with accessibility issues, such as older people and those with disabilities, the changes to polling locations were even more disruptive. This was the case for Vitor Santiago<\/a>, a wheelchair user and resident of Vila do Pinheiro<\/a>, in Mar\u00e9:<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to vote at the Josu\u00e9 Castro School<\/a>, in Vila do Jo\u00e3o<\/a> [neighborhood adjacent to Vila do Pinheiro], and then they changed [my polling location]. I found out [about the change] about three days ago. From my house in Vila do Pinheiro to the school, it\u2019s really close. It\u2019s always complicated with a wheelchair because of speed bumps, cars, motorcycles, people\u2026 But it was relatively easy. Now that [my polling location] moved to Bonsucesso, it\u2019s become a bit more complicated because I need to book a ride through an app. [I have to] collapse my wheelchair, open it back up. Logistically, it\u2019s much more complicated.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Many of the queues were also caused by voters waiting at the wrong polling locations. Due to a lack of communication about the changes, some voters only found out on the spot<\/a> when it was time to vote, that they had to travel to another neighborhood to exercise their democratic right. As a result, many who had already waited at their former polling locations had to face another line elsewhere. This led many to give up on voting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Changes<\/a>
Changes to polling locations, especially in the Mar\u00e9, Alem\u00e3o, and Penha favelas, created lines stretching for a kilometer (over half a mile) and hours of waiting. Photo: Fernando Fraz\u00e3o\/Ag\u00eancia Brasil<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Despite the information being published on the Regional Electoral Court’s (TRE-RJ) website, the changes were not communicated effectively, causing problems for voters. The Mar\u00e9 Vive<\/a> social media account published a list of polling locations to make the information more accessible, but this still failed to prevent the disruption.<\/p>\n

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Um post compartilhado por Mare\u0301 Vive (@marevive)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n