
Find out how the election works, the salary, the responsibilities and the differences between a senator and a federal deputy
AI-generated summary
The Federal Senate is one of the two houses of the Brazilian National Congress, with specific constitutional functions, including the approval of appointments to high positions and the trial of crimes of responsibility. Elections for senator follow the majority system, with two vacancies per state and Federal District.
The elections for senator take place this Sunday (4), from 8 am to 5 pm, according to Brasília time. In these elections, it is possible to vote for two different senators – if the voter votes twice for the same candidate, the second vote will be nullified. The position will be voted on together with candidates for state or district deputy, governor and president, in addition to two senators.
Follow the results of the 1st round of elections on Folha in real time
See below answers to the most frequently asked questions about the position of senator.
What does a senator do?
Senators approve names for some of the positions provided for in the Constitution. Some of its exclusive duties, for example, are lawsuits against presidents of the Republic or ministers of State.
The Senate also prosecutes and judges responsible or related crimes involving commanders of the Army, Air Force and Navy. Other exclusive activities of senators involve approving names nominated to the STF, appointing the Attorney General of the Republic and the presidents and directors of the Central Bank.
How much does a senator earn?
The gross monthly allowance for a senator is R$46,366.19, since February 1, 2025. The amount was defined in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 172/2022, and takes into account the parliamentarians' attendance at the deliberative sessions of the Plenary. Unjustified absence results in a salary deduction.
How many votes does a candidate need to be elected senator?
Unlike the elections for federal deputies, senators are elected through the majority system. The system works by simply calculating votes, that is, the candidates with the most votes are elected in the first round.
How many senators will be elected in 2026?
In total, 54 senators will be elected in the country, 2 senators per state, including the district. Each voter will have the right to two votes for the senate, making it impossible to vote for the same person twice. If this happens, the second vote will be cancelled.
How many senators are there in Brazil?
There are currently 81 senators in office in Brazil, three for each of the 26 states and the Federal District.
What is the difference between a senator and a federal deputy?
The legislative power in Brazil is bicameral, that is, made up of two chambers: the Deputies and the Federal Senate, which make up the National Congress. The functions of each are detailed in the Federal Constitution.
A senator's term lasts eight years, while a federal deputy's term lasts four years. Another difference is that, according to the Constitution, the Federal Senate represents the states, while the Chamber of Deputies represents the people.
The Senate approves, among its duties, the appointment of ambassadors, magistrates and holders of other positions provided for in the Constitution. The Chamber discusses projects originating in the Executive.
In sessions of the National Congress, federal senators and deputies meet and act together.

Minister Gilmar Mendes, from the STF, annulled the precautionary removal of judge Tutmés Airan, from the TJAL, determined by the CNJ after a decision that suspended the PF's investigation into electoral fraud in Alagoas, considering that there was no serious disciplinary misconduct and that the removal threatened the independence of Justice during the electoral period.

On Thursday (1st), the candidates for the Presidency and Government of São Paulo ended their electoral propaganda in the first round on TV, with promises to combat crime, protect women and attacks between opponents. The pieces addressed topics such as the crisis in the STF involving Daniel Vorcaro, the 'Dark Horse' case, the ban on betting and fake news about Our Lady of Aparecida. Lula adopted the attack as the axis of his campaign, while Flávio Bolsonaro tried to present himself as the target of the PT offensive. Tarcísio de Freitas highlighted social programs and the SP Mulher Segura application, avoiding mentioning Haddad or privatizations. Haddad asked voters to leave 'political passions' aside. The campaign also gave space to female voters, with black presenters and a focus on safety, health and employment. Data shows that 52.4% of households have a woman as head of the family and 26% of the female electorate is undecided. If there is a second round, free advertising will resume on October 9, with ten minutes for each position.

Abstention in the first round of presidential elections has grown by four percentage points since 2006, reaching 20.79% in 2022 (32.2 million absentees). In a tight dispute between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro, experts point out that abstention tends to penalize Lula, as it hits his traditional electorate with low education and income more heavily, especially in the Southeast, while the Northeast shows a greater willingness to vote.

In the final stretch of the 2026 elections, Lula (PT) has the largest number of followers on social media, with 15.4 million on Instagram, while Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) and Renan Santos (Missão) lead in engagement. Among federal deputies, Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) and MC Gui (PSD-SP) are the most popular, with 22.3 and 11 million followers, respectively. The analysis, carried out by Folha in partnership with Tubular, only considers profiles reported to the TSE by almost 21 thousand candidates.

Presidential candidate Ronaldo Caiado, from the PSD, campaigned in Goiás, walking through Region 44 in Goiânia and talking to store owners in the clothing sector, where he defended the reduction of the interest rate to avoid debt for small business owners. Later, he participated in a motorcade in Aparecida de Goiânia alongside candidate Daniel Vilela, from MDB.

During campaign agendas in Pernambuco, João Campos (PSB) promised to triple a section of BR-101 and carry out infrastructure works for the Metropolitan Region, while Raquel Lyra (PSD) announced the implementation of cycle corridors in Greater Recife. Other candidates, such as Guilherme Fonseca, Ivan Moraes and Professor Camila (UP), also completed schedules with leaflets, visits to entities and walks in several cities in the state.