Research shows that 45% of voters do not know or are wrong about the number of votes for the Senate in 2026

With 5 days left until the 1st round, 45% of voters don't know or get the answer wrong about the number of votes for the Senate in the 2026 elections. This is what the Quaest survey released this Tuesday (29), commissioned by Globo and the newspaper O Globo, shows.

This year, each voter will have to vote twice for the Senate, for two different candidates. This is because 54 of the 81 vacancies will be renewed, equivalent to two thirds of the total. If a voter votes for the same candidate twice, the second vote will be considered invalid. To find out more, click here.

The question asked by Quaest: how many votes for senator do you have to give this year?

55% of voters said there will be two votes (correct answer)

29% don't know or didn't answer the question

10% responded that it will be a vote

6% responded that there will be three votes

The sum of those who don't know and those who got the answers wrong gives 45%.

Although almost half of those interviewed did not get the answer right, the survey shows that there was an improvement in relation to the previous edition, on August 5th.

At that time, only 34% responded that there would be two votes; another 34% did not know or did not respond; 22% responded that it would be one vote; and 10% said it would be three votes.

Senate Plenary — Photo: Ton Molina/Agência Senado

The survey was carried out between September 24th and 27th. Quaest interviewed 2,004 people aged 16 and over between the 24th and 27th of September. The margin of error is two percentage points, plus or minus, and the confidence level is 95%. The research registration number is BR-06520/2026.

Positions voters pay the most attention to

Quaest also measured voters' interest in the positions being contested in these elections, ranking them in order of importance. See the results:

Which positions do you pay most attention to? - from 1st to 4th place

1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place President 59% 15% 9% 6% Governor 15% 39% 18% 14% Senator 6% 15% 24% 20% Federal deputy 5% 14% 24% 31% State deputy 6% 13% 19% 26% Pays no attention to anyone 7% 3% 5% 3% Don't know/didn't answer 2% 1% 1% 0

59% responded that, firstly, they pay more attention to the president;

39% responded that, secondly, they pay more attention to the role of governor;

24% responded that, thirdly, they pay more attention to the position of senator. Another 24% said that, thirdly, they pay more attention to the position of federal deputy;

31% responded that, fourthly, they pay more attention to the position of federal deputy. Another 26% said that, in fourth place, they pay more attention to the position of state deputy.