Brazil’s Voter Registration Closes Wednesday as Courts Extend Hours Nationwide

Overview

• Regional electoral courts, which extended hours Tuesday, reported long lines as the May 6 cutoff neared for new registrations, transfers, and fixes to voter records.
• After Wednesday the voter roll closes until November under Brazil’s election law, which blocks new entries within 150 days of the vote to allow election planning.
• Many updates are online for voters with biometrics, while first-time registration and biometric collection still require an in-person visit, and the TSE says regular voters can vote without biometrics.
• Consequences for missing the deadline include losing the right to vote in 2026 and hurdles for documents, hiring into public office, financing, and enrollment at public institutions.
• The late push includes TRE-RJ opening 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with overflow returns scheduled for May 7 to 16, while São Paulo courts report more than 100,000 attendances over the May 1–3 plantões and over 1.1 million since January.