TSE forms majority to annul Garotinho's votes and may end Rio election in the first round

The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) formed a majority on Thursday (8) to annul the votes of Garotinho in the election for governor of Rio de Janeiro. The position paves the way for Douglas Ruas (PL) to exceed 50% of the valid votes and be declared elected in the first round, dispensing with the dispute against Eduardo Paes (PSD). Until the update consulted, the trial was still ongoing.

According to the information published by CNN Brazil, the rapporteur, Minister Floriano de Azevedo Marques, voted to reject the appeal of Anthony Garotinho (Republicans). The magistrate considered that the former governor is with political rights suspended and does not meet the necessary conditions to run in the 2026 elections.

Estela Aranha, André Mendonça and Dias Toffoli accompanied the rapporteur, forming four votes in favour of maintaining the rejection of the candidacy.

How Cancellation Can Define Election

The possible victory of Ruas stems from the change in the basis for calculating the percentages. With the exclusion of the votes of Garotinho, the total number of votes considered valid decreases, proportionally increasing the participation of the other candidates.

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In this scenario, Streets would exceed the absolute majority required to win in the first round. Confirmation depends on the completion of the trial and the re-totalization by Justiça Eleitoral. The procedure should be carried out by the Regional Electoral Court of Rio de Janeiro (TRE-RJ), responsible for recalculating and formalizing the state result.

The little boy competed for registration under review

The former governor participated in the election with the candidacy sub judice. This condition allows the candidate to continue in the dispute while awaiting the analysis of an appeal against the denial of his registration. Participation in the vote, however, does not ensure the final validity of the votes received. In the case of Garotinho, this definition was linked to the judgment of his candidacy.

Request for withdrawal also entered the trial

After the first round, Garotinho asked to give up the appeal presented to the TSE. The withdrawal could lead to the maintenance of the refusal of his registration and, consequently, to the exclusion of the votes of the valid count. According to CNN Brasil, Floriano also rejected the withdrawal request, citing the Court’s understanding that the withdrawal of resources should not be admitted when it interferes with the electoral result.

The Electoral Prosecutor’s Office had argued that the case should be treated as an exception. For the body, both the acceptance of the withdrawal and the judgment of the merit should result in the continuation of the rejection of the candidacy. The formed majority indicates the direction of the decision, but it does not yet equate to the official proclamation of Douglas Ruas as elected governor.