A study by the Nexus Institute, commissioned by Agência Brasil and based on data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), indicates that the number of young people under 24 eligible to vote dropped from 24.7 million in that year to 19.2 million in 2026.

  This reduction represents a loss of 5.5 million voters in absolute terms, even as the Brazilian electoral roll grew by 17 percent during the period in question—rising from 135.8 million to 158.8 million people.

  Consequently, the share of young people up to age 24 within the national electorate fell from 18.2 percent to 12.5 percent over the last 16 years.

  This trend contrasts with the growth in the number of older voters; according to the TSE, the number of people aged 60 or older eligible to vote has increased by approximately 74 percent since 2010 and currently exceeds 36.8 million.

  For Nexus executive director Marcelo Tokarski, this shift takes on special significance in a climate of intense political polarization.

  According to Professor Hilton Fernandes, of the Public Opinion and Digital Media Laboratory at the São Paulo School of Sociology and Politics, presidential campaigns have yet to clearly demonstrate how they intend to win over young people—a key demographic not only due to the volume of votes they represent but also because of their capacity for mobilization and participation.

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