The Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ) will carry out a new process this Thursday (12) of the totality of votes for the 2026 elections for state deputy and federal deputy. The procedure could change the composition of the Rio Legislative Assembly (Alerj) and also cause changes in the Rio de Janeiro bench in the Chamber of Deputies.
The new total was determined after decisions by the Electoral Court changed the legal situation of candidates who participated in the election with records still pending judgment.
Among the cases that motivated the procedure are those of Cristiane Brasil (DC), candidate for federal deputy, and Luiz Antônio Martins (PSDB/Cidadania) and Paulo Melo (União Progressista), who ran for state deputy seats.
During reprocessing, the Electoral Court system redoes the calculations used to distribute seats between parties and federations. Therefore, a change in the validity of votes can modify both the list of elected officials and the list of substitutes.
The rule of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) determines that a new totalization must be carried out when there is a change in the legal status of a party, federation, coalition or candidate capable of changing the result of the election.
Why Alerj can change
The possibility of changes is not restricted to this farm's total. Other candidates whose registrations were rejected are still awaiting final decisions from the Electoral Court.
While appeals are pending, votes remain void sub judice. If the rejection is reversed, these votes may be considered valid and a new electoral calculation may be necessary.
In the dispute for Alerj, at least 5 candidates in this situation received more votes individually than Carlos Russo (DC), who currently appears as the state deputy elected with the lowest number of votes, with 27,447 votes:
João Drumond (PRD/Renovação Solidária): 55,759 votes
Diego Alba (PSDB/Citizenship): 48,547 votes
Renato Machado (PT/PCdoB/PV): 48,300 votes
Val Ceasa (PRD/Renovação Solidária): 47,080 votes
Paulo Melo (Progressive Union): 33,546 votes
This does not mean, however, that a possible legal victory for any of them will automatically result in Carlos Russo's withdrawal.
In proportional elections, the votes of each candidate are also included in the party or federation's account. Thus, the validation of thousands of votes can change the quotients used to define how many seats each political group will be entitled to.
João Drumond and Val Ceasa can change the federation’s calculation
One of the cases that could provoke changes involves the Solidarity Renewal Federation, formed by PRD and Solidariedade.
In the current total, the group won 3 seats in Alerj, occupied by Munir Neto, with 52,808 votes; Soldier Tobias, with 37,969; and Arthur Monteiro, with 35,844.
Two candidates from the same federation had significant votes, but their registrations were rejected: João Drumond received 55,759 votes, while Val Ceasa had 47,080.
Drumond, therefore, received more votes individually than the three elected members of the federation. Val Ceasa also surpassed the votes of Soldado Tobias and Arthur Monteiro.
If one or both manage to reverse the rejections, it will be necessary to recalculate the distribution of vacancies. The result could change the internal order of the federation and, depending on the new quotients and the distribution of surpluses, even the number of seats allocated to each group.
João Drumond's registration was rejected by the TRE-RJ in September. According to the Public Electoral Ministry, there were elements related to the use of political and social structures and relationships with people under investigation. The defense contested the understanding and maintained that the candidate was held responsible for acts attributed to third parties. The decision can be challenged in higher courts.
Val Ceasa also had his registration rejected by the TRE-RJ. He was the target of an operation by the Public Ministry of Rio and is suspected of being linked to the Third Pure Command (TCP). The case also remains subject to analysis by the Electoral Court.
Other candidates await decisions
Diego Alba and Renato Machado had their registrations rejected by the TRE-RJ in September. In both cases, the court stated that it had considered elements that would indicate links with criminal organizations. Decisions can still be reviewed by higher authorities.
The former president of Alerj Paulo Melo also had his registration rejected. Its 33,546 votes remain outside the current distribution of seats until the legal situation is definitively resolved.
Federal bench may also change
Possible changes are not limited to Alerj. In the race for the Chamber of Deputies, Ricardo Abrão (PSDB) received 63,730 votes and also had his registration rejected. The vote is higher than the 46,780 votes obtained by Talita Galhardo (PSDB), who appears among the federal deputies elected by the PSDB/Citizenship Federation.
Again, the comparison of individual votes does not mean that a possible validation of Abrão's votes would automatically remove Talita from the Chamber. It would be necessary to recalculate the proportional election.
In August, the TRE-RJ rejected Abrão's registration after analyzing elements of an investigation into an alleged vote-buying scheme in Nilópolis during the 2024 municipal elections. The defense can still appeal.
Understand what happens to votes
Candidates who have their registration rejected, but still have appeals in progress, can remain in the electoral race. Your votes are recorded, but they are not included in the distribution of seats until the legal situation is reversed.
If the Court later considers the registration valid, the votes will be included in the calculation. And that is precisely where the result can change.
As elections for state and federal deputies follow the proportional system, the Electoral Court needs to recalculate not only the candidate's individual vote, but also:
the total vote of parties and federations;
the electoral and party quotients;
the distribution of leftovers;
the number of seats won by each group;
the list of elected candidates;
and the list of substitutes.
Therefore, although the ballot count has defined an initial composition of Alerj and the Rio bench in the Chamber, the result may still change as the Electoral Court concludes the processes that remain pending.
