José Serra, Geraldo Alckimin and Tarcísio de Freitas — Photo: Pedro França/Agência Senado; JoãoRangel/Unitau; and Bob Paulino/Globo
Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) was re-elected governor of São Paulo this Sunday (4), in the 1st round of elections, with 62.85% of valid votes, against 36.22% for Haddad. The result was confirmed at 7:39 pm, with 90% of the ballots counted by the Regional Electoral Court (TRE).
It is the fourth time that a São Paulo governor has been elected in the 1st round since the adoption of the two-round system in 1990. In 2022, he also defeated Haddad, but in the 2nd round.
Until this Sunday, all governors elected for the first time were from the PSDB: José Serra in 2006 and Geraldo Alckmin in the 2010 and 2014 elections. Tarcísio is the first from another party to achieve the feat.
The concept of "winning in the 1st round" only formally came into existence in Brazil after the 1988 Constitution. The text establishes that:
For the positions of president of the Republic, state governors and mayors of municipalities with more than 200 thousand voters, the winning candidate must obtain an absolute majority;
In other words, 50% plus one of the valid votes, not counting blank and null votes;
If no one reaches the mark, the two most voted will face each other in the 2nd round.
Before this rule, Brazilian elections for the Executive operated in a single round, with a simple majority, whoever had the most votes won, regardless of reaching 50%. This is how, for example, Franco Montoro (PMDB) won the election in 1982, the first direct contest for the São Paulo government since the 1960s.
History of victories in the 1st round
1) 2006 election: José Serra (PSDB)
Valid votes: 57.93% (12.3 million votes)
In 2006, the toucan made history by becoming the first governor elected in the 1st round in São Paulo under the 1988 Constitution. Serra had considerable approval from his management at São Paulo City Hall. The defeated candidate was Aloizio Mercadante (PT), who received 31.68%. Third place was former governor Orestes Quércia (PMDB), with 4.57%
2) 2010 election: the return of Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB)
Valid votes: 50.63% (11.5 million votes)
Four years after Serra's feat, the PSDB repeated the feat with Alckmin, who had already governed the state between 2001 and 2006. The main opponent was, again, Mercadante, who ended the dispute with 35.23%. Celso Russomanno (PP) came in third, with 5.42%.
3) 2014 election: Alckmin again
Valid votes: 57.31% (12.2 million votes)
Amidst a scenario of popular dissatisfaction motivated by the 2013 water protests, Alckmin entered the year of re-election with an approval rating hovering around 40%. This helped to establish a wide gap to second place, Paulo Skaf (PMDB), who had 21.53% of the votes. Alexandre Padilha (PT) obtained 18.22%.
4) 2026 election: Tarcísio re-elected
Valid votes: 62.85%% (13,057,319 votes) - updating
Upon being re-elected, Tarcísio became the first name without PSDB affiliation to win the São Paulo government in the first place. Four years ago, in 2022, when he was a candidate for the São Paulo government for the first time, he needed to go to the 2nd round to defeat Haddad. The PT member won 44.73% of the valid votes, against 55.27% for the current governor.
This time, however, with the public machine in hand and 47% approval from management, Tarcísio managed to end the dispute this Sunday.
Tarcísio de Freitas takes a walk in the center of São Paulo — Photo: WILDALLY SOUZA/ATO PRESS/ESTADÃO CONTEÚDO
The other elections
The other six times the election took place with the two-round rule already in force, the population had to return to the polls a second time:
1990: Luiz Antônio Fleury Filho (PMDB) needed the 2nd round to beat Paulo Maluf (PDS): 51.77% x 48.23%.
1994: Mário Covas (PSDB) went to the 2nd round to defeat Francisco Rossi (PDT): 56.12% x 43.88%.
1998: In a turnaround after being behind in the 1st round, Mário Covas (PSDB) beat Paulo Maluf (PPB) in the 2nd round: 55.37% x 44.63%.
2002: Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) defeated José Genoino (PT) in the 2nd round: 58.64% x 41.36%.
2018: João Doria (PSDB) defeated Márcio França (PSB) by a narrow margin in the 2nd round: 51.75% x 48.25%.
2022: Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) was elected after beating Fernando Haddad (PT) in the 2nd round: 55.27% x 44.73%
Results of all elections in SP since redemocratization
Result of the 1982 election - 1st round (there was no second round)
Franco Montoro (PMDB) and Quércia (vice) - 5,209,952 votes / 49.04% - elected in the 1st round
Reinaldo de Barros (PDS) and Afif Domingos (vice) - 2,728,732 votes / 25.68%
Jânio Quadros (PTB) and Francisco Barros (vice) - 1,447,328 / 13.62%
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Hélio Bicudo - 1,144,648 / 10.77%
Rogê Ferreira (PDT) and João Gualberto (vice) - 94,395 / 0.89%
1986 election result - 1st round (there was no second round)
Orestes Quércia (PMDB) - 5,578,795 votes / 40.78% - elected in the 1st round
Antônio Hermínio de Moraes (PTB) - 3,675,176 / 26.86%
Paulo Maluf (PDS) - 2,668,425 / 19.50%
Eduardo Suplicy (PT) - 1,508,589 / 11.03%
Teotônio Simões (PH) - 250,657 / 1.83%
1990 election result - 2nd round
Paulo Maluf (PDS) - 5,872,473 / 43.50% - 2nd round: 6,865,157 votes - 48.23%
Luiz Antônio Fleury Filho (MDB) - 3,803,159 / 28.17% - 2nd round: 7,368,730 votes - 51.77% - elected
Mário Covas (PSDB) - 2,050,665 / 15.19%
Plínio de Arruda Sampaio (PT) - 1,636,119 / 12.12%
Ademar de Barros Filho (PRP) - 63,117 / 0.47%
Result of the 1994 election - 2nd round / Beginning of the 'Tucana era'
Mário Covas (PSDB): 6,574,517 votes (46.84%) - 2nd round: 8,661,960 votes (56.12%) – Elected
Francisco Rossi (PDT): 3,119,592 votes (22.23%) - - 2nd round: 6,771,454 votes (43.88%)
José Dirceu (PT) - 2,085,193 votes (14.86%)
Barros Munhoz (PMDB) - 1,584,397 votes (11.29%)
Luiz Antônio Medeiros (PP) - 317,593 votes (2.26%)
Álvaro Soares Dutra (Prona) - 144,196 votes (1.03%)
1998 election result - 2nd round
Paulo Maluf (PP) - 5,351,026 votes (32.21%) - 2nd round: 7,900,598 votes (44.63%);
Mário Covas (PSDB) - 3,813,186 votes (22.95%) - 2nd round: 9,800,253 votes (55.37%) - elected
Marta Suplicy (PT) - 3,738,750 votes (22.51%)
Francisco Rossi (PDT) - 2,843,515 (17.12%)
Orestes Quércia (PMDB) - 714,097 votes (4.30%)
Constantino Cury Neto (Prona) 68,906 votes (0.41%)
2002 election results - 2nd round
Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) - 7,505,486 votes (38.28%) - 2nd round: 12,008,819 votes (58.64%) - elected
José Genoino (PT) - 6,361,747 votes (32.45%) - 2nd round: 8,470,863 votes (41.36%)
Paulo Maluf (PP) - 4,190,706 votes (21.37%)
Carlos Apolinário (PGT) - 703,858 votes (3.59%)
Lamartine Posella (PMDB) - 259,317 votes (1.32%)
Carlos Roberto Pittoli (PSB) - 216,369 votes (1.10%)
2006 election results - 1st round
José Serra (PSDB) -12,381,038 votes - 57.93% elected in the 1st round
Aloizio Mercadante (PT) - 6,771,582 votes - 31.68%
Orestes Quércia (PMDB) - 977,695 votes - 4.57%
Plínio de Arruda Sampaio (PSOL) - 532,470 votes - 2.49%
2010 election results - 1st round
Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) - 11,519,314 votes - 50.62% - elected in the 1st round
Aloizio Mercadante (PT) - 8,016,866 votes - 35.23%
Celso Russomanno (PP) - 1,233,897 votes - 5.42%
Paulo Skaf (PSB) - 1,038,430 votes -
Fabio Feldmann (PV) - 940,371 votes - 4.13%
2014 election results - 1st round
Geraldo Alckmin (PSDB) - 12,230,807 votes / 57.31% - elected in the 1st round
Paulo Skaf (PMDB) - 4,594,708 votes - 21.53%
Alexandre Padilha (PT) - 3,888,584 votes - 18.22%
Gilberto Natalini (PV) - 260,696 votes - 1.22%
Gilberto Maringoni (PSOL) - 187,487 votes - 0.88%
2018 election results - 2nd round
João Doria (PSDB) - 6,431,555 votes (31.77%) - 2nd round: 10,990,350 votes (51.75%) - elected
Márcio França (PSB) - 4,358,998 votes (21.53%) - 2nd round: 10,248,740 votes (48.25%)
Paulo Skaf (MDB) - 4,269,865 votes (21.09%)
Luiz Marinho (PT) - 2,563,922 votes (12.66%)
Major Costa e Silva (DC) - 747,462 votes (3.69%)
Rogério Checker (New) - 673,102 votes (3.32%)
Rodrigo Tavares (PRTB) - 649,729 votes (3.21%)
Professor Lisete (PSOL) - 507,236 votes (2.51%)
2022 election results - 2nd round
Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) - 9,881,995 votes (42.32%) – 2nd round: 13,480,643 votes (55.27%) – elected
Fernando Haddad (PT) - 8,337,139 votes (35.70%) - 2nd round: 10,909,371 votes (44.73%)
Rodrigo Garcia (PSDB) - 4,296,293 votes (18.40%)
Vinicius Poit (New) - 388,974 votes (1.67%)
Elvis Cezar (PDT) - 281,712 votes (1.21%)
