Neves and Rousseff tied in the polls ahead of presidential runoff
Surveys predict PSDB will win 51 percent of votes; PT is expected to receive 49 percent
According to the latest Ibope and Datafolha polls based on voters’ intentions, Aécio Neves and Dilma Rousseff are technically tied for the second round of Brazil’s presidential race. Ibope predicts the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) candidate will receive 46 percent of the votes in the runoff on October 26 while Rousseff will win 44 percent. An estimated six percent of voters expect to cast a blank ballot while four percent say they are still undecided. If elections were held today, the race would be a tight one given the two-percent margin of error.
According to Datafolha’s survey, Neves is in the lead for the first time with 51 percent while the Workers Party (PT) candidate is expected to draw 49 percent of the votes. Datafolha also reported 4 percent in blank ballots and 6 percent in undecided voters
Those surveyed for the polls on Wednesday and Thursday also evaluated Rousseff’s government. Ibope interviewed 3,010 prospective voters and 39 percent of them said they considered the administration “optimal or good.” Thirty-three percent defined it as “regular” and 27 percent said it is “bad or awful.” Datafolha’s survey included 2,879 participants from 178 municipalities. Thirty-nine percent said the government is doing an “optimal or good” job while 38 percent said the administration is “regular.” Another 22 percent said it is “bad.”
On Thursday, the magazine Época published a poll by a little-known institute, Paraná, which gave Neves the lead with 49 percent of the votes. Rousseff received 41 percent.
Neves has the backing of Eduardo Jorge’s Green Party, Pastor Everaldo’s Social Christian Party (PSC), and he may get Marina Silva’s endorsement if he accepts her proposals. Silva came in third place in the first round with 21 percent of the votes. One of the environmentalist’s conditions is the Achilles’ heel of the PSDB platform: reducing the age of criminal responsibility. Silva has said the measure, which failed to pass in February after Neves’ number two, Senator Aloysio Nunes Ferreira proposed it, does not match the principles of her party.
Translation: Dyane Jean François
