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Read, Debate: Engage.
| topic: | Election |
|---|---|
| located: | Brazil |
| editor: | Ellen Nemitz |
Since Jair Bolsonaro became Brazil’s president in 2018, he has embarked on a series of fraud accusations against the electoral system - including the election in which he was made president of the country, as odd as it may sound, claiming to have won already in the first round.
Bolsonaro’s accusations are not based on evidence, however.
What he puts in doubt is a system based on Direct Recording Electronic voting. After being tested in 1996, the voting machines were implemented all over the country in 2000, without any confirmed incidents of fraud since then. On the contrary, the system was tailored especially for the Brazilian electoral system in order to avoid them.
Following Bolsonaro's claims, his loyal voter base has been taking to the streets in demonstrations - the most recent took place last Sunday - asking for the resumption of paper ballots. Furthermore, there is a bill currently being reviewed by the Senate that urges the implementation of paper voting at all polling stations. It is currently supported by half of the two million people who participated in a public survey; this is not an unbiased result, though, as only a relatively small portion of the population is aware of the right to opine on bills.
Recently, probably driven by his declining popularity (polls now show that he is more likely to lose the 2022 elections), the president and his supporters launched a crusade for the reintroduction of printed votes, which Bolsonaro claims would be the only way to guarantee “democratic and fair” voting, without which the elections in 2022 could not take place.
Previously, Bolsonaro also said, mentioning the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, that something similar could happen in Brazil next year.
According to opposition leaders, Bolsonaro’s rhetoric is indicative of a possible coup. “Bolsonaro's goal is not to improve the electoral system. All he wants is to create a conflictive, chaotic environment of fraud accusations, to discredit the elections result,” said Guilherme Boulos of the left-wing Socialist Party, which gathered other parties to ask the Brazilian Superior Electoral Court to call for proof of alleged fraud, something that did not happen so far.
And it probably won't. The voting machines are, according to the Superior Electoral Court, tested and audited both by official bodies and independent institutions through a series of protocols before and after each voting period. Besides, the machines are constantly checked for attacks by hackers, even though those could never invade the systems to tamper with votes as the machines are not connected to the internet.
In addition, voting machines have managed to reach even the most remote areas of the country, something that strengthens democracy and the right of every citizen to choose their leader without intervention.
Finally, this system allows votes to be processed within a few hours after voting stations are closed, and for the result of elections to be announced on the same day.
One year ahead of the presidential run, there are few things that we know for sure, as candidates are just beginning to informally present themselves and polls constitute merely a preview of what is to come.
One thing seems to be unquestionable, however: Jair Bolsonaro will not accept an eventual defeat so easily, and he will use all his cards trying to win this game, democratically or not.
Image: Element5 Digital.
