TSE scraps Garotinho votes, Ruas wins in Rio
Brazil’s electoral court has ended the planned second round for the governorship with its ruling.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court has declared Anthony Garotinho’s 274,411 votes invalid. After the recount, Douglas Ruas exceeds 50 per cent and will become governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro without a second round.
Garotinho took part in the first round on 4 October while his candidacy was not yet legally final. His registration had been rejected by the regional electoral court, but he was allowed to remain on the ballot provisionally while his appeal before the TSE was pending.
On Thursday, the electoral court ruled by five votes to two that the candidacy was invalid. Garotinho’s votes will therefore not be counted. The TSE also rejected his attempt to withdraw the appeal after the election.
That makes a major difference to the result. Douglas Ruas initially had 49.27 per cent of the valid votes and Eduardo Paes 42.76 per cent. Garotinho received 274,411 votes, equivalent to 3.17 per cent. After those votes are removed, Ruas exceeds half.
The ruling means that the planned second round between Ruas and Paes will not take place. The regional electoral authority must formally recalculate the result. According to reports on the decision, Ruas will then be proclaimed the winner of the election.
The case prompted criticism from Paes’s supporters. His representatives argued that a second round was necessary because Ruas did not have a majority in the original count. Two judges on the TSE agreed and found that the votes should remain valid for a second round.
For Dutch readers, the case is relevant because Brazilian states have major responsibilities for security, infrastructure and public services. The decision does not concern the national presidential election, but it does show how a legal ruling on a candidate’s registration can directly alter political power relations in a large state.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The TSE declared Garotinho’s votes invalid and ordered a recalculation.
- Ruas exceeds 50 per cent after the new calculation.
- Two judges found that the votes should remain valid for a second round.
Left
Arguments A candidate who appeared on the ballot represented voters; retrospectively removing those votes may subordinate the popular will too much to procedural rules.
Values The right to vote, inclusion and maximum judicial restraint in election results.
Consequences A second round could strengthen the winner’s legitimacy, but would keep a legally invalid candidacy in the result for longer.
Centre
Arguments The electoral court must apply equal rules and prevent a candidate from influencing the result through procedural choices after the vote.
Values Legal certainty, orderly elections and institutional continuity.
Consequences The decision provides clarity and avoids another round of voting, but may give voters the impression that judges decide elections.
Right
Arguments A candidate who is ineligible under electoral law cannot produce valid votes. Removing those votes protects the integrity of the election.
Values Legality, candidates’ responsibility and enforcement of electoral rules.
Consequences Swift application of the rules prevents strategic litigation, but can abruptly change political relations.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The result, the legal decision and the key percentages have been confirmed by Brazilian news sources. The text presents the recalculation as a formal next step, not as a new election.
- confirmed The TSE declared 274,411 votes for Garotinho invalid. — GP1 and Agência Brasil report this number and the decision. source
- confirmed Ruas initially had 49.27 per cent and Paes 42.76 per cent. — The percentages appear in Brazilian reporting on the first round. source
- confirmed The TSE decided by five votes to two. — The vote split was reported by GP1 and Agência Brasil’s account. source
Editor's note
The result and the five-to-two vote were reported by multiple Brazilian sources. The formal recalculation by the regional electoral authority is the administrative next step; the political outcome was settled by the TSE’s decision.Sources
- TSE anula votos de Garotinho e determina retotalização dos votos no Rio de Janeiro — GP1
- TSE anula votos de Garotinho e Douglas Ruas é eleito governador do Rio no 1º turno — Agência Brasil via Cinturão Verde
- TSE forma maioria para anular votos de Garotinho — Exame
- TSE decide se anula votos de Garotinho — TV Brasil
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „brazilië rio de janeiro”
- NU.nl — „brazilië rio de janeiro”
- De Telegraaf — „brazilië rio de janeiro”