Brazilian election authorities select voting machines for audits
In several states, electronic voting machines were selected on Saturday for public checks during the second round of the presidential election.
Follow-up to: Brazilian election remains neck-and-neck Friday, 23 October 2026, 19:41
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Brazilian election authorities determined on Saturday which electronic voting machines would be checked on Sunday during the second round. The public audits are intended to show that the digital result matches manually cast test votes and that the installed software is authentic.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, the TSE, describes the checks as the final stage of a longer audit and oversight process. Political parties, regulators, civil society organisations and international observers were able to take part.
In the integrity test, votes are cast on paper and entered simultaneously into selected electronic machines. The results are compared afterwards. The test takes place during official voting hours, so the process can be followed publicly.
There is also an authenticity test. This checks whether the software on a machine matches the versions developed, reviewed, signed and sealed by the electoral authority. This check takes place before voting at the polling station concerned.
The numbers vary by state. In São Paulo, according to the regional electoral authority, 51 machines will undergo the audits. In Rio de Janeiro, 43 polling stations have been selected; 31 machines will undergo an integrity test, two a biometric variant and ten an authenticity test.
The procedures matter because Brazil’s electronic voting method has been the subject of political distrust and disinformation for years. The audits do not prove that every individual machine in the country is being examined, but they do provide a verifiable sample of the system.
The second round of the election takes place on Sunday. The checks do not provide a prediction of the result in advance. They are intended to test the operation and verifiability of the voting system, regardless of which candidate wins.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- On 24 October, electronic voting machines for audits were selected in various Brazilian states.
- The audits consist of integrity and authenticity tests.
- The second round of the presidential election takes place on 25 October.
- The checks are samples and do not inspect every machine individually.
Left
Arguments A left-wing approach will emphasise the public nature of the audits and access for political parties and civil society organisations. Transparency is needed to restore trust, especially among voters who have little confidence in institutions.
Values Inclusive democracy, verifiability and protection against abuse of power.
Consequences More independent observers and the publication of procedures could increase trust, but would also make the process more complex.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach points out that a technical system benefits above all from fixed procedures, independent oversight and restraint regarding unsubstantiated claims. Audits must be explainable without politically prejudicing the result in advance.
Values Procedural reliability, expertise and legal certainty.
Consequences A transparent sample may provide sufficient confidence if the methods are applied consistently, but it must be supplemented by clear communication about its limitations.
Right
Arguments A right-wing approach will emphasise electoral integrity, verifiable results and the possibility of ruling out errors or manipulation. It will insist that doubts should not be dismissed as disinformation before they have been technically investigated.
Values Accountability, national sovereignty and confidence in the voter’s voice.
Consequences Strict checks can strengthen trust, but political pressure on electoral authorities may instead undermine the independence of the process.
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 audits, testing methods and state-level figures described come from Brazilian electoral authorities and an independent news outlet. The article makes clear that these are samples, not a full inspection of all machines.
- confirmed Brazilian election authorities selected machines for audits on 24 October, before the second round. — The TSE and regional electoral tribunals published information about this on 24 October. source
- confirmed The integrity test compares paper votes with the electronic result. — The TSE describes precisely this procedure. source
- confirmed In São Paulo, 51 machines will be checked. — São Paulo’s regional electoral authority gives this figure. source
- confirmed In Rio de Janeiro, 43 machines or polling stations were selected for audits. — Agência Brasil describes the selection of 43 polling stations in Rio de Janeiro. source
Editor's note
The audit procedures and the selection of machines have been officially confirmed. The audits are samples and do not constitute a full inspection of every voting machine.Sources
- TSE verifica os sistemas eleitorais na véspera do 2º turno das Eleições 2026 — Tribunal Superior Eleitoral
- Eleições 2026: fiscalizadores definem urnas para os Testes de Integridade e de Autenticidade do 2º turno — Tribunal Regional Eleitoral de São Paulo
- TRE-RJ define urnas que serão auditadas no segundo turno — Agência Brasil
The story so far
- Friday, 23 October 2026, 19:41 Brazilian election remains neck-and-neck
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 08:14 Lula and Bolsonaro hold final debate
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 22:12 Brazilian election authorities select voting machines for audits (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „brazilië verkiezingen”
- AD — „brazilië verkiezingen”
- de Volkskrant — „brazilië verkiezingen”