In-person early voting for the U.S. midterm elections began on Monday in Washington D.C., while more than 23 million people across the country had already cast ballots by October 25, far surpassing the 15 million recorded in 2022.
Early voting opened on October 26 across Washington D.C. and will run through every district until Sunday, November 1.
Residents who missed the online or mail registration deadline can still register directly at the polling center. That same-day registration requires a valid, recent proof of address, such as an official identification, a utility bill or a bank statement issued within the past ninety days.
District law also lets non-citizen residents who meet age and local residency requirements vote in municipal elections. They receive a separate ballot limited to district offices, including the Council, the Board of Education and the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
In neighboring Maryland, the early voting period runs through Thursday, October 29, with centers open daily from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M. local time. Voters there can also register the same day by showing a document that proves their current address.
Election authorities detailed the rules for those who prefer mail ballots or official drop boxes before the November 3 general vote. In Washington D.C., ballots must carry that date’s postmark or be deposited before 8 P.M.
Maryland set Tuesday, October 27, as the cutoff for requesting printed ballots at each county’s local offices.
Voters who miss the October 27 request deadline in Maryland can still cast a ballot in person during the early window or on November 3. The mail route, however, closes at that point for printed ballots.
The midterm cycle has produced a sharp rise in early participation. As of October 25, more than 23 million people had voted early nationwide, up from the 15 million recorded in 2022.
After two years marked by unilateral decisions, a hardline stance on immigration, rising living costs and involvement in the war against Iran, Donald Trump’s administration now faces a ballot test that could strip Republicans of their absolute control of Congress.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are being contested. Republicans hold 218 seats against 214 for the Democrats, along with two vacancies and one independent seat occupied by Kevin Kiley after his departure from the Republican Party. That narrow margin leaves the chamber within reach for the opposition, and the surge in early ballots is being read as a measure of how much ground the ruling party could lose.
The early vote will keep building through the final weekend before November 3, when the full contours of the midterm electorate will emerge.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Israeli voters to reelect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to press the military campaign against Iran until it is complete.
Donald Trump framed Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power as a condition for finishing the offensive against Iran. “We have to finish the job we started,” he wrote on his social media, aiming the appeal squarely at Israeli voters three days before the legislative elections.
The U.S. President returned to an October 18 letter in which he called Netanyahu an “exceptional Prime Minister warrior” and praised their joint record in military operations.
As everyone knows, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship to win together,” Trump stated, holding up Operation Epic Fury as proof of their cooperation.
Trump asserted that Iran had lost its navy and its air force and that its economy had fallen into a “state of chaos.” He placed inflation at 301% and claimed a naval blockade had stopped oil exports. Two tiers of Iranian leadership, military and civilian, had been eliminated, he added.
‘Netanyahu has done a VERY GOOD JOB as prime minister under very trying conditions’ — Trump pic.twitter.com/4VQJ2fR3mJ
In the October 18 letter, Trump described the Israeli leader as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and an “even greater partner for peace.” His latest post closed with an open call for Netanyahu’s reelection in the middle of the Iran offensive.
The appeal marks another attempt by the White House to steer another nation’s vote. It also arrives as Washington and Tel Aviv face sustained protests over the war on the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s conduct has been denounced as a policy of extermination.
Netanyahu and Trump met in Washington amid protests against the genocide in Gaza, and Trump has framed their alliance as a shared military project. Trump’s latest intervention draws Washington deeper into a vote that will decide not only Israel’s leadership but also the regional balance.
BREAKING: President Trump issues a second statement endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This marks the first time a US President has publicly endorsed a candidate in the Israeli elections. pic.twitter.com/t4l0qtj3hi
The endorsement lands days before more than seven million voters renew the 120 seats of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Surveys project a fragmented legislature in which no bloc secures the 61 seats required to form a government. The threshold has rarely yielded a stable majority in recent cycles, and this campaign has only deepened the fragmentation.
That arithmetic has lifted the leverage of Israel’s Arab parties and pulled tens of thousands of expatriates back home to cast ballots. It has also sharpened a parallel demand for accountability.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of people marched in Tel Aviv to demand an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Israeli attack. Organizers stressed that the gathering was civic in nature and did not endorse any party or candidacy.
The opposition bloc led by former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot is pressing for that independent commission. Netanyahu opposes the measure, while his supporters highlight his record on national security and regional operations. Neither camp has stopped to examine Israel’s conduct and its policy of extermination against the Gaza Strip.
Tuesday’s vote will determine whether Netanyahu secures the mandate Trump is urging. With no bloc near a majority, coalition negotiations are expected to follow, and the outcome will shape both Israel’s next government and the course of the Iran campaign.
More than 800 Palestinians lost their homes after a fire gutted a displacement camp in the Shujaiya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City, in an attack the Gaza Ministry of Public Works and Housing blamed on Israeli military drones.
The blaze consumed the camp’s tents and nearly everything inside them, according to the Gazan Ministry, which said quadcopter drones operated by Israeli forces ignited the fire on October 26.
The fire affected more than 200 families, made up mostly of women, children, the elderly and people with vulnerable health conditions, the Gaza Ministry of Public Works and Housing detailed. The flames caused panic among residents, who have no housing alternatives.
The Shujaiya camp sheltered families who had already fled their homes in other parts of the territory. Many had moved more than once since the war began, carrying whatever they could salvage each time.
💢🇵🇸 Over 800 Palestinians have been forced to displace yet again from Shujaiya, an eastern neighborhood in Gaza City, after Israeli forces set fire to a displacement camp, according to Al Jazeera.
Israeli quadcopter drones set the camp ablaze at around 8 p.m. local time on… https://t.co/9nyw5g9DGe
Palestinian authorities called the fire a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. They framed it as part of a deliberate policy of forced displacement designed to push people out of the territory.
The Ministry of Public Works and Housing demanded urgent action from the international community, the UN Security Council, and the United Nations, and it asked those bodies to halt the attacks on civilians without further delay. It also pressed humanitarian agencies to deliver tents, temporary shelters, and essential supplies immediately to families left without roofs or belongings.
Local spokespeople linked the persistence of military operations to the tense electoral climate inside Israel, where security politics have hardened. Security operations have long featured in Israeli campaigns, and commanders face domestic pressure to show results even as international criticism mounts.
A ceasefire agreement announced on October 10, 2025, never produced calm on the ground. Israeli forces have maintained recurrent bombings, shootings, and demolition work across different parts of the Gaza Strip. Official records show the zionist offensive launched in October 2023 has now surpassed 74,000 deaths and left 175,000 people wounded.
Human rights organizations renewed their demands for a halt to hostilities and for safe, unobstructed access for humanitarian assistance. The widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure has made recovery more difficult for communities worn down by repeated strikes. Hospitals, schools, and homes lie in ruins across the territory.
Aid agencies describe the situation as catastrophic. Clean water, medicine, and fuel remain scarce, and the latest fire has multiplied the need for emergency shelter in a place where almost every building is damaged.
Palestinian officials say the fire is not an isolated event but a symptom of a broader campaign against civilian life, insisting the international response so far has fallen short of the scale of the crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians poured into the streets of the country’s largest cities on Sunday night to celebrate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s runoff victory, sealed with more than 64 million votes and a comeback without precedent in Brazil’s democratic history.
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians filled the streets of the country’s main cities to celebrate the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Presidential election on Sunday, October 25.
With 100% of the vote counted, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) indicated that the current President obtained 51.79% of the votes against 48.21% for the ultra-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
According to the official tally, Lula exceeded 64 million votes, making him the first president elected four times in the country. The count turned out to be a historic comeback, with 10 million votes won by the leader of the Workers’ Party (PT) between the first and second round.
Salvador, the capital of Bahia state, erupted first. The Rio Vermelho neighborhood, a traditional gathering point for left-wing activists, was taken over by the celebrations. Largo da Dinha filled with Lula voters, and fireworks lit the night sky near the Casa de Iemanjá. In the Imbuí district, neighbors leaned from the balconies of their buildings to join the party. More festivities unfolded in Graça, Pituba and Vila Laura.
🇧🇷 | Festejos masivos en São Paulo: miles de personas colmaron la Avenida Paulista para celebrar la victoria de Lula da Silva tras imponerse en el balotaje frente a Flávio Bolsonaro. Banderas, cánticos y euforia tiñen el corazón financiero de Brasil. pic.twitter.com/67Ipi8gK8e
Bahia was decisive. The state contributed more than 6.4 million votes in the second round, 71% of its total, and almost 1.2 million in Salvador alone, 73% of the capital’s ballots, according to BNews. Those numbers helped reverse the first round, when Flávio Bolsonaro had finished ahead.
The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin, celebrate the electoral victory along with the people in Sao Paulo / Photos: EFE.
A Red Sea of People
In the federal capital, block 405 of Asa Norte became the main concentration point for Lula’s supporters. A true “sea of people,” dressed in red and waving flags and umbrellas, vibrated when the official victory announcement arrived. Celebrations also spread to Águas Claras and Guará, where some drivers sounded their horns through the night.
Across the political divide, supporters of Flavio Bolsonaro and of reelected Federal District governor Celina Leão had planned a Victory Act at the National Museum of the Republic that same Sunday. The contrast between the two gatherings captured the split that defined the contest.
In Rio de Janeiro, crowds also took to the streets to mark the historic comeback, one that Datafolha described as unprecedented since 1989.
SEGUIDORES DE LULA SALEN A CELEBRAR SU REELECCIÓN EN BRASILIA
🇧🇷🎉 Simpatizantes del presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva se congregaron en una zona de bares de Brasilia, la capital de Brasil, para festejar su victoria sobre Flávio Bolsonaro. pic.twitter.com/zRm57ipIzX
With this recent electoral victory, Lula, now 80 years old, returns for a fourth term after finishing second in the first round, and after the courts sentenced his previous rival, Jair Bolsonaro, to more than 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn the 2022 result. Flávio Bolsonaro, the imprisoned former President’s eldest son, carried the family banner this time and lost it.
The reelection also comes with a strengthened legislative position. The Workers’ Party (PT) gained more than 20 seats in the Chamber of Deputies compared with 2022.
The Brazilian result breaks with a regional trend that had favored right-wing candidates allied with Trump, and it repositions Brazil at the center of South American politics.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated his reelection on Sunday with a pledge to govern for all 215 million Brazilians and a warning that digital platforms will be regulated.
The triumph arrived with 51.79% of valid votes against 48.21% for Flavio Bolsonaro, with 99.99% of the votes countedcounted. Lula had finished second in the first round and secured a fourth term with the runoff.
Once the ballots were tallied, the Brazilian President affirmed that there are no more adversaries. “I have to govern for 215 million,” Lula said, promising to treat all citizens on equal terms and to give women greater respect in public policy.
The President promised to make full day schooling universal through high school and to extend the Pé-de-Meia incentive to all students at that level, a program that keeps young people from abandoning the classroom for work. He also announced a university version of the program.
Lula also announced that care policies for older people will be taken seriously, calling the elderly responsible for the existence of Brazilians. “I have no preference for any religion. I have preference for the faith of the Brazilian people,” he said, defending a secular state that guarantees full religious freedom.
The re-elected President framed the result as more than a win at the polls. “This election was a defeat of denialism. It was a defeat of the lie,” he declared. He confessed that the debates left him shaken, despite his long experience and a year of constant meetings with leaders of the G20, the BRICS and the G7.
None of that, he said, prepared him to face “a genuine representative of the militias in this country,” referring to Flavio Bolsonaro. “I never imagined that a person could lie so much with such shamelessness, as if he had not a bit of sincerity inside him,” he added.
Minha gratidão eterna ao povo brasileiro, à juventude que tomou as ruas em defesa da democracia e a cada pessoa que fez um esforço imenso para votar e defender o futuro do nosso país.
Vocês me emocionam e renovam minha esperança. Essa vitória é de um povo que acredita, que luta… pic.twitter.com/bYpKMdFgP0
Lula announced that digital platforms will be regulated and demanded that crimes committed online receive the same treatment as crimes in real life. He questioned companies that earn millions in Brazil without paying taxes while trying to steer the vote, and denounced foreign interference through those platforms during the campaign.
The President’s plan for technology carries a nationalist stamp. “I do not want to depend on North American artificial intelligence. I want to create a Brazilian one,” he said. To achieve it, he proposed using the country’s renewable energy to attract data centers, on the condition that companies reserve part of their capacity for Brazilian information.
That project feeds a larger ambition, to move Brazil from a developing country to a developed one, powered by the digital, green and creative economies. Lula credited the people’s creative potential rather than himself. “We want to be a central country in political and economic decisions and in the promotion of peace,” he said.
“We are going to teach the world how climate policies are handled in this country,” he promised, noting that this year Brazil will reduce deforestation for four consecutive years for the first time.
Lula thanked the people for their generosity in the second round and the young people who took to the streets to defend democracy. He recalled the elderly who reached the polls carried by their grandchildren and cancer patients who voted anyway, convinced their ballot was essential. To that conviction he attributed the lowest abstention and the fewest null votes in the country’s history.
Lula achieves his fourth term after an unprecedented comeback, and his party, the Worker’s Party (PT), gains more than 20 seats over what he achieved in 2022 in the Chamber of Deputies. The re-election, which term officially starts on January 1, 2027, represents a break with the regional trend of triumphs by right-wing candidates allied to U.S. President Trump.
Presidents and former leaders across Latin America celebrated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s fourth term on Sunday after the official count confirmed his runoff victory in Brazil with 51.79 percent of valid votes.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Sunday’s presidential runoff against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.79% of valid votes, securing a fourth term, with 99.99% of precincts reported, and drawing congratulations from leaders across Latin America.
With nearly all precincts counted, Lula had 64,255,891 votes against 59,825,984 for Bolsonaro, a margin of 4,429,907 votes. Lula had finished second in the first round, and the pollster Datafolha described the turnaround as unprecedented since 1989.
Latin America Reacts
Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was the first to write, addressing the Brazilian people before the candidate. She called the vote “an authentic electoral October 17,” a reference to the 1945 mass workers’ rally in Buenos Aires that secured the release of Juan Domingo Perón and is considered the founding date of Peronism. She added that Lula, in his seventh presidential election, “knew how to awaken feeling and meaning in his compatriots to win this battle.”
FELICITACIONES… primero al pueblo brasileño que hoy protagonizó un auténtico 17 de Octubre electoral y después… a usted, compañero presidente Lula, que en su séptima elección presidencial supo despertar en sus compatriotas sentimiento y sentido para ganar esta batalla.
From Havana, President Miguel Díaz-Canel spoke on behalf of the Cuban government and people. He celebrated a “historic victory that guarantees the continuity of the path of peace, sovereignty and social justice undertaken by the Brazilian people under your leadership.” He also offered Cuba’s support for Latin American and Caribbean unity and integration.
Estimado hermano @LulaOficial, te felicito en nombre del gobierno y pueblo cubanos por esta victoria histórica que garantiza la continuidad del camino de paz, soberanía y justicia social emprendido por el pueblo brasileño bajo tu liderazgo.
The President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, communicated this Sunday with the Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to congratulate him on his victory in the second round of elections and highlight the democratic holiday that the country lived.
“I just got in touch with Brazil’s president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a friend. I congratulated him on the triumph and for the democratic holiday that represents an electoral process”, said Orsi in his social networks.
Acabo de comunicarme con el presidente electo de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, un amigo.
Lo felicité por el triunfo y por la fiesta democrática que representa un proceso electoral.
For his part, the President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, congratulated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for his victory in the second round of the presidential elections of Brazil, in which he defeated the ultra-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
“Congratulations @LulaOficial on your election as President of Brazil. Greeting the Brazilian people for this great democratic day”, published Peña on social network X.
The ruler affirmed that Paraguay and Brazil share “a common agenda of integration and development”, while promising to continue “working together for the well-being” of their peoples.
Felicidades @LulaOficial por tu elección como Presidente del Brasil. Saludo al pueblo brasileño por esta gran jornada democrática. El Paraguay y Brasil comparten una agenda común de integración y desarrollo. Seguiremos trabajando juntos por el bienestar de nuestra gente.
“I congratulate President @LulaOficial on his victory. Bolivia and Brazil are neighboring and fraternal countries, united by a shared history and common challenges,” stated the Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz,while he seeks to strengthen bilateral relationship and create more opportunities for both nations.
Felicito al presidente @LulaOficial por su victoria. Bolivia y Brasil somos países vecinos y hermanos, unidos por una historia y desafíos comunes. Seguiremos trabajando juntos para fortalecer nuestra relación y generar más oportunidades para nuestras naciones. 🇧🇴🤝🇧🇷
Bolivia’s former President Evo Morales chose a more intimate tone. “Brother of my soul and comrade in struggle, congratulations on this beautiful and heroic victory,” he wrote on social media.
For the Aymara leader, the Brazilian’s re-election reaches across the continent. “Your triumph renews the hope of the peoples who fight for social justice, dignity and sovereignty,” he added, closing with cheers for the Brazilian people and the Latin American region.
@LulaOficial ! Hermano del alma y compañero de lucha, felicidades por esta hermosa y heroica victoria!
Tu triunfo renueva la esperanza de los pueblos que luchan por la justicia social, la dignidad y la soberanía. Desde Bolivia, te enviamos un abrazo revolucionario y fraterno,… pic.twitter.com/XflrKlOz5F
Colombian Former President Gustavo Petro argued that Brazil had halted the advance of fascism in Latin America and credited a people who resisted a flood of fake bots. He also highlighted Brazil’s electoral system, which runs on public software and which, in his view, citizens guarded to prevent fraud.
Petro affirmed that the victory saves social justice and the country’s natural resources from foreign ambition. “Well done Lula,” he wrote. “This is a triumph for humanity and a strategic defeat for the forces of darkness.“
Se ha detenido el fascismo en America Latina en Brasil.
El pueblo brasileño libre logró frenar la avalancha de los bots falsos y el sistema electoral con software público y bien cuidado por la gente evitó fraudes, se salva la justicia social en Brasil y el intento extranjero de… pic.twitter.com/oETnxYC6Sq
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, also congratulated Lula. “Long live democracy, the people of Brazil won. Congratulations President Lula!” Sheinbaum noted in a social media post.
Viva la democracia, ganó el pueblo de Brasil. ¡Felicidades presidente Lula!
In the 2022 runoff, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by 50.90% to 49.10%. Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters then called for a military coup, and courts later sentenced the former President to 27 years in prison for trying to overturn that result. From prison, Bolsonaro named his eldest son, 44, as his candidate.
Earlier on Sunday, voting was extended by two hours, to 7 P.M., by Supreme Court justice Cristiano Zanin. The vote count was paused and then resumed.
On October 4, Flavio Bolsonaro had led the first round with 47.03% against Lula’s 45.16%. Surveys on the eve of the runoff showed a technical tie at 51 and 49 percent. The final tally reversed that picture and closed the door on the Bolsonaro family’s return to power.
Lula will be sworn in for his fourth term on January 5, 2027. His new victory is expected to have significant implications beyond Brazil’s borders. As the largest economy and most populous country in Latin America, Brazil plays a central role in regional diplomacy, trade, and environmental policy.
With 99.75% of the vote counted, Brazil’s presidential runoff was declared “mathematically defined,” putting incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on track to defeat Flavio Bolsonaro.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured reelection as Brazilian President, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential runoff and winning an unprecedented fourth term in office, with a difference of over four million ballots and more than three percentage points.
The count, which surpassed 99 percent of polling stations, was declared mathematically defined well before the final numbers landed.
The result marks a significant political moment for the region’s largest democracy, signaling both continuity with Lula’s political legacy and a new chapter in Brazil’s evolving democratic landscape.
As vote counting progressed throughout the evening, Lula steadily maintained an advantage that ultimately became impossible for his rival to overcome. Electoral analysts and officials declared the race mathematically decided before the final ballots were counted, effectively confirming Lula’s return to the nation’s highest office.
The election represented one of the most consequential political contests in recent Brazilian history. Lula, a president known for his social programs and efforts to reduce poverty during his previous administrations, campaigned on promises of economic inclusion, institutional stability, and national reconciliation. Throughout the campaign, he emphasized the need to strengthen democratic institutions, expand opportunities for lower-income Brazilians, and restore Brazil’s international standing.
Flávio Bolsonaro entered the race carrying the political legacy of his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting to overturn the 2022 election results. His campaign appealed primarily to conservative voters, highlighting issues related to public security, economic liberalization, and traditional values. The contest therefore became a referendum not only on competing political platforms but also on two distinct visions for Brazil’s future.
Voter turnout remained strong across much of the country, reflecting the high stakes of the election. Major urban centers, as well as many rural areas, reported significant participation levels as citizens headed to polling stations to determine the direction of the nation for the coming years.
Political observers noted that the campaign was marked by intense debates over economic policy, environmental protection, public spending, and Brazil’s role in international affairs. These issues dominated public discussions and helped mobilize millions of voters on both sides of the political spectrum.
Lula’s victory is expected to have significant implications beyond Brazil’s borders. As the largest economy and most populous country in Latin America, Brazil plays a central role in regional diplomacy, trade, and environmental policy.
One area likely to receive immediate attention is environmental policy, particularly regarding the Amazon rainforest. During the campaign, Lula reiterated commitments to environmental protection and sustainable development, issues that have attracted growing international concern in recent years. Global leaders and environmental organizations are expected to monitor how these commitments translate into government action.
Economically, investors and business leaders will be looking for signals regarding fiscal policy, market regulation, and social spending priorities. Lula faces the challenge of balancing economic growth with social programs designed to reduce inequality and improve living standards for millions of Brazilians.
The election also highlights the resilience of Brazil’s democratic institutions. Despite a highly polarized political environment and an intensely competitive campaign, the electoral process proceeded under established constitutional rules. The public security balance described a day characterized by widespread calm and a low rate of irregularities at voting centers.
Lula, the President re-elected, becomes the most popular presidential candidate in Brazil’s history and he will be sworn in for a fourth term on January 5, 2027. With the election effectively settled before the final count was completed, Brazil begins a new political era under the leadership of Lula, a figure whose return to power is likely to influence both national policy and regional politics for years to come.
Login
