Brazilian Congressional Elections May Have All-Time-Low Turnover Rate

This year’s elections in Brazil will have the largest number of congressional candidates up for reelection since the country’s re-democratization in 1985. A survey by news portal UOL’s platform Congresso in Foco shows that at least 457 Members of Congress — 33 Senators and 424 Federal Deputies — will attempt to keep their seats. That total is 15 percent higher than in the last general elections, in 2014, and the highest ever recorded for Congress.

According to the leadership of various political parties, a few distinct electoral rules have led to the unusually large amount of incumbent candidates. Reducing the campaign period from ninety to forty-five days, for example, favors politicians who are already known instead of new candidates. In addition to already being household names, candidates who pursue reelection also have a consolidated electorate and more resources to gather support. Despite the general public's lack of confidence in the political establishment, those conditions give incumbents a real advantage over outsider candidates.  

To read the full article by UOL (in Portuguese), click here.