Direct presidential elections are held in Brazil as part of the general elections every four years (which has been regular since 1994), typically in October. The current electoral law provides for a

two-round system The two-round system (TRS or 2RS), sometimes called ballotage, top-two runoff, or two-round plurality, is a single-winner electoral system which aims to elect a member who has support of the majority of voters. The two-round system involves one ...

in which a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win in the first round; if no candidate passes the 50% threshold, a run-off is held between the top two candidates.Eleições 2018
/ref> Every candidate has a

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a pre ...

who disputes the post of

vice-president A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...

; prior to 1966, the vice-president was elected separately. The country has held presidential elections since 1891, spanning over a period of several different republican governments and national constitutions.

Old Republic

Presidentialism was introduced in Brazil after the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889, and the first election was held in 1891. According to the 1891 Constitution, the right to vote was restricted to men over 21 years old who were not illiterate, homeless or enlisted-rank soldiers. The elections for president and vice-president were held separately and the same person could be a candidate for both. Overall, only a small portion of the population voted. Since coronelism was common, the colonel elites often persuaded people to vote for certain candidates.

1891

The very first president was elected indirectly by the Congress.

1894

From 1894 on, elections were held every four years.

1898

1902

1906

1910

1914

1918

1919

Since Rodrigues Alves, the President-elect, caught the

Spanish flu The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...

and died before taking office, a new election was held in 1919.

1922

1926

1930

Vargas Era

With the

Revolution of 1930 The Revolution of 1930 () was an armed insurrection across Brazil that ended the Old Republic. The revolution replaced incumbent president Washington Luís with defeated presidential candidate and revolutionary leader Getúlio Vargas, conclu ...

, the country was governed until 1930 by a military triumvirate, while

Getúlio Vargas Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (; ; 19 April 1882 – 24 August 1954) was a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the 14th and 17th president of Brazil, from 1930 to 1945 and from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Due to his long and contr ...

was the ''de facto'' president (officially President of the Provisional Government). The new Constitution predicted that the first president would be chosen by the Congress in an indirect election.

1934

A second election was scheduled for 1938, but it did not happen due to the 1937 coup d'état, under which another Constitution was written.

Fourth Republic

After Vargas was forced to resign in 1945, a new state was born under a democratic constitution written in 1946. The new Constitution provided for direct elections every five years for both president and vice-president.

1945

1950

1955

1960

Military rule

With the 1964 military coup d'état, the direct democracy ended and presidents (who were all members of military, except for the last one) were now elected by the Congress.Ato Institucional Nº 1, 9 de abril de 1964
/ref> The interval between elections was irregular.

1964

1966

With the

two-party system A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referr ...

, only

ARENA An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

and MDB could dispute elections. President and vice-president were now part of the same

ticket Ticket or tickets may refer to: Slips of paper * Lottery ticket * Parking ticket, a ticket confirming that the parking fee was paid (and the time of the parking start) * Toll ticket, a slip of paper used to indicate where vehicles entered a to ...

. The 1966 and 1969 elections had only one candidate.

1969

First election under the 1967 Constitution.

1974

1978

1985

The two-party system ended in 1979 and many other parties were created. This was the last election under the military regime.

New Republic

Under the current Constitution enacted in October 1988, elections are held every four years (except for the first one, which was held five years before the second to match the centenary of the Proclamation of the Republic) and citizens elect a ticket for both president and vice-president. Voting is mandatory for men and women between 18 and 70 years old who are not illiterate, and optional for people aged 16–17, over 70, and illiterates.