Brazilian Portuguese Election Vocabulary: Words, Phrases & Real Conversations
Brazilian Portuguese for real life
Understand What Brazilians Mean When the Conversation Turns to Elections
During an election year, Portuguese learners suddenly hear a different language around them: segundo turno, pesquisa eleitoral, santinho, mesário, apuração, reeleição. Some words translate easily. Others make sense only when you understand how elections work in Brazil and how Brazilians actually talk about them. This guide teaches the vocabulary in context, with natural phrases and conversations rather than a disconnected word list.
Start here
12 Essential Brazilian Portuguese Election Words
| Portuguese | Natural English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| eleição | election | A eleição é no domingo. |
| eleições | elections | As eleições acontecem periodicamente. |
| eleitor / eleitora | voter | O eleitor vai à seção eleitoral para votar. |
| eleitorado | electorate | Parte do eleitorado ainda está indecisa. |
| candidato / candidata | candidate | Há vários candidatos disputando o cargo. |
| voto | vote | Meu voto ainda não está decidido. |
| votar | to vote | Você vai votar? |
| partido político | political party | Ela é filiada a um partido político. |
| cargo | office / position | Qual cargo ele está disputando? |
| mandato | term of office | O mandato começa depois da posse. |
| eleito / eleita | elected | Ela foi eleita vereadora. |
| reeleição | reelection | O prefeito está concorrendo à reeleição. |
The TSE’s electoral glossary defines reeleição as renewal of a mandate for the same elected office for another period in the same electoral district. [1] That gives learners an important verb family:
eleger
to elect
Os eleitores elegem seus representantes.
ser eleito
to be elected
Ela foi eleita.
reeleger / reeleição
to reelect / reelection
Ele foi reeleito.
Who is who?
People, Parties and Political Roles
Some terms describe people participating in the election; others describe institutions or alliances.
A useful word with several meanings: política
a política
politics
Eles falam muito de política.
uma política
a policy, depending on context
uma política pública = a public policy
a política
a female politician, depending on context
Ela é uma política experiente.
Before election day
Campaign Vocabulary You Will See and Hear in Brazil
| Portuguese | Meaning | Typical context |
|---|---|---|
| campanha eleitoral | election campaign | A campanha começou. |
| propaganda eleitoral | electoral advertising/campaign propaganda | Official/legal term for campaign messaging intended to win votes. [5] |
| debate | debate | Você viu o debate ontem? |
| comício | political rally | A public political/electoral meeting with speeches and supporters. [3] |
| santinho | small campaign leaflet/card | Usually contains the candidate’s photo and ballot number. [6] |
| número do candidato | candidate number | The number entered on the voting machine. |
| proposta | proposal | Quais são as propostas da candidata? |
| plano de governo | government plan / platform document | Used especially for executive-office candidacies. |
Santinho: why does an election leaflet sound like “little saint”?
Outside politics, santinho literally looks like the diminutive of santo (“saint”). In Brazilian election vocabulary, however, it is the established name for a small campaign leaflet or card with a candidate’s information, traditionally including the photo and ballot number. The TSE itself uses the term in its Electoral Glossary. [6]
Boca de urna
This expression deserves care because it can refer to different election-day contexts. Pesquisa de boca de urna means an exit poll conducted after voters leave. Propaganda de boca de urna refers to election-day campaigning aimed at people going to vote; the TSE glossary notes that this type of voter solicitation is prohibited. [5]
Talking before the vote
Pesquisa Eleitoral: Polls, Leads and Close Races
The TSE defines a pesquisa eleitoral as a survey asking voters about their preferences in an election. Public electoral polls are subject to registration requirements under Brazilian election law. [7]
These are useful language patterns without implying that a poll guarantees an election result. A pesquisa is a measurement taken under a particular methodology and at a particular time, not the vote itself.
At the polling place
Election-Day Portuguese: Zona, Seção, Mesário, Urna
Two words that even Brazilians sometimes confuse are zona eleitoral and seção eleitoral. The TSE distinguishes them clearly: a zona eleitoral is a geographically defined electoral area administered by an electoral office, while a seção eleitoral is the place where voters are received to cast their votes and where the voting machine and polling table operate. [8]
zona eleitoral
electoral zone
A larger administrative area.
seção eleitoral
voting section / polling section
The specific section where the voter casts a ballot.
| Portuguese | Natural English | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| local de votação | polling place | The school, building or other location where voting takes place. |
| seção eleitoral | voting/polling section | The voter’s assigned section inside the electoral organization. |
| zona eleitoral | electoral zone | The broader geographic administrative area. |
| mesário / mesária | poll worker | A person serving at the voting section. [4] |
| urna eletrônica | electronic voting machine | The machine on which the voter records the vote. |
| título de eleitor | voter registration document/card | The electoral registration document. |
| justificar o voto / justificar a ausência | justify one’s absence from voting | Used when a voter who is required to vote does not attend and follows the legal justification process. |
After voting closes
Apuração, Votos Válidos, Eleito: Talking About Results
Apuração is the election count/tabulation process. The TSE’s glossary uses the term for the counting and consolidation of votes within the electoral system. [9]
| Portuguese | Natural English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| apuração | vote count / tabulation | A apuração já começou. |
| resultado | result | Quando sai o resultado? |
| votos válidos | valid votes | Os votos brancos e nulos não entram no total de votos válidos. [10] |
| voto em branco | blank vote | Ela votou em branco. |
| voto nulo | null/invalid vote | Ele decidiu votar nulo. |
| abstenção | abstention / non-turnout | A abstenção foi alta. |
| comparecimento | turnout / attendance | O comparecimento às urnas aumentou. |
| eleito / eleita | elected | Ela foi eleita. |
| reeleito / reeleita | reelected | Ele foi reeleito. |
The TSE distinguishes abstenção eleitoral from blank and null votes: abstention means an eligible voter did not appear to vote; a blank or null vote is cast by someone who did appear. [11]
What Brazilians actually say
Natural Election Expressions You Cannot Translate Word for Word
Put the vocabulary into speech
Three Short Election Conversations in Brazilian Portuguese
1. Before the election
Marina: Você já decidiu em quem vai votar?
Lucas: Ainda não. Quero ver o debate primeiro.
Marina: Eu também. A disputa está bem apertada.
Lucas: Acho que vai ter segundo turno.
to decide who to vote for
there’s going to be a runoff
2. On election day
Renata: Você já foi votar?
Carlos: Já. Fui cedo.
Renata: Tinha muita fila?
Carlos: Não. Minha seção estava bem tranquila.
have you already gone to vote?
my assigned voting section
3. During the results
Tiago: Já começou a apuração?
Beatriz: Já. Está quase na metade.
Tiago: Quem está na frente?
Beatriz: Ainda está muito apertado.
the vote count started
who is leading?
Avoid literal translations
Election Vocabulary Translation Traps for English Speakers
1. Deputado is not simply “deputy”
In Brazilian politics, deputado federal and deputado estadual are legislators. Depending on the context, “federal deputy” is common in Brazil-focused English, while “member of the Chamber of Deputies” is often clearer institutionally.
2. Prefeito is usually “mayor,” not “prefect”
For Brazilian municipal government, prefeito corresponds functionally to a mayor. Prefeitura refers to the municipal executive administration and can also mean city hall in everyday usage.
3. Pesquisa does not mean the place where you vote
Pesquisa eleitoral means an election/opinion poll. Local de votação is the polling place; seção eleitoral is the voting section.
4. Turno is not “turn” in the normal conversational sense
In elections, primeiro turno and segundo turno are the first and second rounds. In natural U.S. English, segundo turno is often best rendered as runoff.
5. Santinho is not about religion in this context
During campaigns, it means a small campaign leaflet/card with candidate information. [6]
6. Abstenção is not the same as a null vote
Abstenção means the voter did not attend. Voto nulo is a null vote cast by someone who did attend. [11]
Small structures, big payoff
Grammar Patterns That Make Election Conversations Easier
Votar em + person/party
English uses “vote for”; Portuguese normally uses votar em.
Concorrer a + office
Here, a + a can contract to à: concorrer à presidência, à prefeitura, à reeleição.
Ser eleito + office
Ganhar / perder + a eleição
Estar na frente / atrás
Useful once the basics are familiar
A Few More Brazilian Election Terms Worth Recognizing
| Term | Meaning | Why you may hear it |
|---|---|---|
| voto de legenda | party-list vote | In proportional elections, a voter can vote for the party rather than a specific candidate. [12] |
| majoritário | majoritarian | Used for elections such as president, governor, mayor and senator, with rules that vary by office. [13] |
| proporcional | proportional | Used for deputies and councilors. |
| abstenção eleitoral | electoral abstention / non-turnout | The percentage of eligible voters who do not appear to vote. [11] |
| chapa | ticket/slate, depending on context | Often used for linked candidacies, such as an executive candidate and vice. |
| sigla | party abbreviation/acronym | Brazilian parties are frequently referred to by their abbreviations. |
Frequently asked questions
Brazilian Portuguese Election Vocabulary: FAQ
How do you say “election” in Brazilian Portuguese?
Eleição means “election”; the plural is eleições. An election year is ano eleitoral.
How do you say “Who are you voting for?” in Portuguese?
A natural Brazilian Portuguese question is Você vai votar em quem? Portuguese uses votar em alguém, so the preposition is em, not a literal equivalent of English “for.”
How do you say “runoff” in Brazilian Portuguese?
Segundo turno is the standard term. In conversation you will often hear Vai ter segundo turno? (“Is there going to be a runoff?”) and passou para o segundo turno (“made it to the runoff”).
What does apuração mean in an election?
It refers to vote counting/tabulation and the process of consolidating election results.
What is a santinho?
In Brazilian election vocabulary, it is a small campaign leaflet/card, usually with a candidate’s photo and ballot number. It is not translated literally as “little saint” in this context.
What is a mesário?
A mesário or mesária is a poll worker who serves at a voting section on election day.
What is the difference between zona eleitoral and seção eleitoral?
A zona eleitoral is a larger geographic electoral administrative area. A seção eleitoral is the specific voting section where voters are received and the voting machine is installed.
What is the difference between voto nulo and abstenção?
A null vote is cast by someone who appears to vote but records a null vote. Abstention means the eligible voter did not appear to vote.
How do you say “poll” in Portuguese?
For an opinion poll, use pesquisa eleitoral or simply pesquisa when the election context is already clear. Do not confuse it with local de votação, which is a polling place.
Sources & further reading
Institutional Sources Used for This Guide
- TSE — Reeleição. Definition of reelection and its relationship to an elected mandate.
- TSE — Coligações e federações partidárias. Current distinction between coalitions and party federations.
- TSE Glossário — Cabo eleitoral, coligação e comício.
- TSE — Mesa receptora de votos e mesários.
- TSE Glossário — Pesquisa, propaganda eleitoral e boca de urna.
- TSE — Santinho. Definition and electoral use of the campaign leaflet.
- TSE Glossário — Pesquisa eleitoral. Definition and registration context for public electoral polling.
- TSE — Zona eleitoral vs. seção eleitoral.
- TSE Glossário — Apuração da eleição.
- TSE — Voto branco x voto nulo.
- TSE Glossário — Abstenção eleitoral.
- TSE Glossário — Voto de legenda.
- TSE — Sistema eleitoral majoritário. Majority rules and second-round terminology.
Vocabulary becomes useful when you can use it
Join the Conversation, Not Just the Word List.
Knowing that segundo turno means “runoff” is useful. Being able to understand Você já decidiu em quem vai votar? at normal speed and answer naturally is a different skill. Conversational in 20 Weeks builds Brazilian Portuguese through real speaking, listening and interaction so vocabulary becomes language you can actually use.
