Brazil: Challenged over prisoners’ votes, Lula says he wants even Jair Bolsonaro to vote for him

During the October 18, 2026, runoff debate in São Paulo, Flávio Bolsonaro accused Lula of receiving 73% of prisoners’ votes. Lula replied that he wanted 100% of them to vote for him, “even your father,” referring to Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years and three months for attempting a coup and is serving his sentence under house arrest. TSE results show Lula received 72.6% of roughly 11,000 valid votes cast at prison polling stations in the first round, compared with 23.3% for Flávio; nationally, Flávio outpolled Lula. Only provisional detainees who have applied to vote are eligible, while people with final convictions lose their political rights.