Daniel Vilela is projected winner of the election for governor of Goiás in 2026

The governor of Goiás, Daniel Vilela (MDB), 42, was re-elected this Sunday (4) in the first round to command the state for the next four years, projects Datafolha.

With 50.89% of the ballots counted, Vilela had 57.91% of the valid votes. In second place was Wilder Morais (PL), with 23.20%, followed by Luis Cesar Bueno (PT), with 9.45%.

Follow the count and results of the 2026 elections in Goiás

To project a candidate's victory, Datafolha follows the counting data released by the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) and, through its own system, projects the result considering the grouping of voters by mesoregion and the nature of the municipality in each state. When there is a reasonable number of votes counted in these groupings, it is possible to estimate that a candidate can no longer be overtaken and, therefore, project victory.

Vilela is the son of Maguito Vilela, former governor of Goiás (1995–1998), who died in January 2021 due to complications arising from Covid-19. Maguito had been elected mayor of Goiânia in 2020 and took office on January 1st with an electronic signature in the ICU of the hospital where he was admitted.

Daniel Vilela is in his sixth election. He ran for the first time in 2008, at the age of 24, when he was elected councilor in Goiânia, for the then PMDB. Two years later, he ran for state deputy and was elected again and, in 2014, obtained a seat in the Chamber of Deputies.

He suffered his only defeat at the polls so far when he tried to become governor of Goiás in 2018, precisely to Ronaldo Caiado (PSD), who had him as vice four years later. Vilela was the second most voted that year, with 16.14% of valid votes, but Caiado totaled 59.73% and settled the dispute in the first round.

Vilela, always in the MDB, took over the government this year, after the then incumbent resigned to run for President of the Republic. His coalition was formed by 11 other parties (Republicans, Podemos, Mobiliza, Democrat, Agir, PSD, Avante, PRD, Solidariedade, União Brasil and PP). The elected vice-governor is Luiz do Carmo (MDB).

Wilder Morais, second placed in the polls, is currently a senator, after being elected in the 2022 election. He was also Secretary of Infrastructure and Industry and Commerce of Goiás.