Current opinion polls have given da Silva a commanding lead — the final Datafolha survey printed Saturday discovered a 50% to 36% benefit for da Silva amongst those that meant to vote. It interviewed 12,800 individuals, with a margin of error of two proportion factors.

Fernanda Reznik, a 48-year-old well being employee, wore a purple T-shirt — a shade related to da Silva’s Employees’ Occasion — to vote in Copacabana, the place pro-Bolsonaro demonstrators usually congregate, and had been ready in line for 40 minutes.

“I’ll wait three hours if I’ve to!” mentioned Reznik, who not bothers speaking politics with neighbors who favor Bolsonaro. “This yr the election is extra vital, as a result of we already went by way of 4 years of Bolsonaro and as we speak we are able to make a distinction and provides this nation one other route.”

Bolsonaro’s administration has been marked by incendiary speech, his testing of democratic establishments, his extensively criticized dealing with of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst deforestation within the Amazon rainforest in 15 years.

However he has constructed a faithful base by defending conservative values, rebuffing political correctness and presenting himself as defending the nation from leftist insurance policies that he says infringe on private liberties and produce financial turmoil.

Marley Melo, a 53-year-old dealer in capital Brasilia, sported the yellow of the Brazilian flag, which Bolsonaro and his supporters have coopted for demonstrations. Melo mentioned he’s as soon as once more voting for Bolsonaro, who met his expectations, and he doesn’t imagine the surveys that present him trailing.

“Polls will be manipulated. All of them belong to corporations with pursuits,” he mentioned.

A sluggish financial restoration has but to achieve the poor, with 33 million Brazilians going hungry regardless of greater welfare funds. Like a number of of its Latin American neighbors dealing with excessive inflation and an enormous variety of individuals excluded from formal employment, Brazil is contemplating a shift to the political left.

Da Silva may win within the first spherical, with out want for a run-off on Oct. 30, if he will get greater than 50% of legitimate votes, which exclude spoiled and clean ballots.

An outright win by da Silva would sharpen concentrate on Bolsonaro’s response to the depend. He has repeatedly questioned the reliability not simply of opinion polls, but in addition of Brazil’s digital voting machines. Analysts concern he has laid the groundwork to reject outcomes.

At one level, Bolsonaro claimed to own proof of fraud, however by no means offered any, even after the electoral authority set a deadline to take action. He mentioned as lately as Sept. 18 that if he doesn’t win within the first spherical, one thing have to be “irregular.”

Da Silva, 76, was as soon as a metalworker who rose from poverty to the presidency and is credited with constructing an in depth social welfare program throughout his 2003-2010 tenure that helped raise tens of tens of millions into the center class.

However he’s additionally remembered for his administration’s involvement in huge corruption scandals that entangled politicians and enterprise executives.

Da Silva’s personal convictions for corruption and cash laundering led to 19 months imprisonment, sidelining him from the 2018 presidential race that polls indicated he had been main in opposition to Bolsonaro. The Supreme Court docket later annulled da Silva’s convictions on grounds that the decide was biased and colluded with prosecutors.

Social employee Nadja Oliveira, 59, mentioned she voted for da Silva and even attended his rallies, however since 2018 votes for Bolsonaro.

“Sadly the Employees’ Occasion upset us. It promised to be completely different,” she mentioned in Brasilia.

Others, like Marialva Pereira, are extra forgiving. She mentioned she would vote for the previous president for the primary time since 2002.

“I didn’t just like the scandals in his first administration, by no means voted for the Employees’ Occasion once more. Now I’ll, as a result of I feel he was unjustly jailed and since Bolsonaro is such a foul president that it makes everybody else look higher,” mentioned Pereira, 47.

Talking after casting his poll in Sao Bernardo do Campo, the manufacturing hub in Sao Paulo state the place he was a union chief, da Silva recalled that 4 years in the past he was imprisoned and unable to vote.

“I need to attempt to make the nation return to normality, attempt to make this nation once more handle its individuals,” he instructed reporters.

Bolsonaro grew up in a lower-middle-class household earlier than becoming a member of the military. He turned to politics after being compelled out of the navy for brazenly pushing to boost servicemen’s pay. Throughout his seven phrases as a fringe lawmaker in Congress’ decrease home, he often expressed nostalgia for the nation’s two-decade navy dictatorship.

His overtures to the armed forces have raised concern that his potential rejection of election outcomes may very well be backed by high brass.

On Saturday, Bolsonaro shared social media posts by right-leaning overseas politicians, together with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who referred to as on Brazilians to vote for him. Israel’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude for stronger bilateral relations and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán additionally praised him.

After voting Sunday morning, Bolsonaro instructed journalists that “clear elections have to be revered” and that the primary spherical could be decisive. Requested if he would respect outcomes, he gave a thumbs up and walked away.

As a result of the vote is carried out electronically, preliminary outcomes are normally out inside minutes, with the ultimate outcome accessible just a few hours later. This yr, all polls will shut at 5 p.m. Brasilia time (4 p.m. EDT; 2000 GMT).

Leda Wasem, 68, had little doubt Bolsonaro won’t simply be reelected, however win outright within the first spherical. Sporting a jersey of the nationwide soccer squad at a polling place in downtown Curitiba, the actual property agent mentioned an eventual da Silva victory may have just one clarification: fraud.

“I wouldn’t imagine it. The place I work, the place I am going day-after-day, I don’t see a single one that helps Lula,” she mentioned.

Savarese reported from Sao Bernardo do Campo. AP writers Daniel Politi and Carla Bridi reported from Curitiba and Brasilia.