Q&A

I would like to vote in the next presidential election. How can I do that?

In order to vote in Chicago, you must have your voter ID transferred to our jurisdiction and be in good standing. If you have already transferred it to Chicago and are in good standing, just get the updated information for your polling place:

• Access the www.tse.jus.br page, click on "Local de Votação" (Polling Place) , complete your information and click on "enviar" (send) , or;
• Use your E-Titulo App ( download it on your cell – your digital voter card)

On voting day, you should go to the polling place with your voter information ready (cell phone with your voting app), as well as a Brazilian photo ID (passport, CNH, RG, etc.)

What about state and local elections? Can I vote?

Brazilian voters abroad only vote for president and vice-president.

Is there a deadline for rectifying canceled voter IDs, making data reviews (changing or correcting names and dates), registering to vote (getting a voter ID for the first time), and transferring voter IDs abroad?

In an election year in Brazil, the Brazilian Board of Elections (TSE) halts its registration and regularization services 150 days prior to the election date, entering the so-called "electoral hiatus", and returning to normal operations after the end of the runoff.

During this period, people with a voter ID that has been canceled or those who have never registered to vote can apply for an Account Certificate (Certidão Circunstanciada) issued by TSE. Voters in good standing should apply for a Voter Clearance Receipt directly at the TSE website. 

My voter ID is not in good standing. When will I be able to update my status to enable me to vote in the next elections?

After the reopening of the electoral database in 2022, starting November 9th, it will again be possible to have your voter ID updated/transferred through the TSE's Título Net platform.

I transferred my voter ID to the Chicago jurisdiction some time ago, but I never picked up the physical ID. Can I pick it up on Election Day?

No. The TSE has stopped issuing physical voter IDs abroad; even those existing at the Consulate had their polling places renumbered. Therefore, you must obtain your voter information from the TSE website or the E-Título application and vote, presenting your Brazilian photo ID.

How do I get my biometrics collected at the Consulate?

There is no biometric data collection for voter IDs abroad. If your biometrics have not been collected previously in Brazil, your E-Título screen will show the information "biometrics not collected". No problem; biometrics are required for voting abroad.

I will not be able to make it to my polling place on the election date. Can I vote by mail/online?

No. Voting is done in person by means of an electronic voting machine. 

I am registered to vote in Chicago, but I will not be able to make it on election day. How can I justify my absence at the polls?

The justification (explanation) for failing to vote must be made within 60 days after the missed voting round. Missing three consecutive rounds of voting may result in the cancellation of the voter ID and the need to rectify it. For voters residing abroad, no fine will be charged for the updating status as long as the request for a fine waiver is included. The fine waiver can be downloaded from the TSE website.

Brazilian voters abroad who remain registered to vote in Brazil should follow these guidelines:

• Voters who did not vote in one of the rounds can justify their absence within 60 days, using the E-Título application or the Sistema Justifica, attaching supporting documents. For voters who vote in Brazil and are abroad, the deadline to justify their absence is 30 days from the date of their return to Brazil.
• Whether or not the justification presented is accepted is at the discretion of the presiding officer of the polling place where the voter is registered.
• The justification is valid only for the round that the voter did not attend.
• Justification at the "cartório eleitoral" (Electoral Office) is subject to the service procedure adopted in your region. Check with your local electoral office or the TRE in your state.

I am registered to vote in Brazil. Will I be able to justify my absence at the Consulate in Chicago?

No. For those registered to vote in Brazil, justification must be made through the E-Título application or Sistema Justifica within 60 days after the missed voting round. Alternatively, the justification can be presented to the authorities of the person's electoral jurisdiction within 30 (thirty) days from the date of return to Brazil.

I haven't voted in any Brazilian elections, nor have I justified my absence at the polls. What are the ramifications?

After 3 (three) absences at the Polls without justifying, the voter ID is canceled by the TSE. For cancellation purposes, the absence is considered for each round of elections that the elector has skipped. Voters with an irregular status cannot:

• get a Brazilian ID (RG);
• enroll in a public entrance examination for a government job position;
• receive salaries, compensation, wages, or income from public, quasi-governmental, or state collaborating job positions, as well as government foundations, companies, institutes, and societies of any nature, maintained or subsidized by the government or that exercise a delegated service, for the second month following that of the election;
• participate in public or administrative Government bids, states, territories, the Federal District or cities, or self-governed agencies;
• get loans in cities, mixed economy companies, federal or state savings banks, social security institutes, and funds, as well as in any credit establishment maintained by the government or in whose operation it participates, and to enter into contractual agreements with these institutions;
• renew enrolment into a government-owned or government-run school;
• perform any act for which a certificate of exemption from military service or income tax is required;
• get a voter clearance receipt, as per TSE Resolution # 21,823/2004.

Furthermore, an irregular electoral status leads to the suspension of the Taxpayer ID Number (CPF) by the Federal Revenue Service. Thus, it will be impossible to open a bank account in Brazil, participate in an inheritance process, or receive a pension in Brazil, among other implications.

I have questions on how to fill out my application at Titulo Net. How do I do it?

The Consulate of Brazil in Chicago has prepared a tutorial to help voters fill out the application for voter registration/transfer/update at the TSE, with illustrated step-by-step instructions.

I have already requested the transfer through the Titulo Net platform. When and how do I know if everything is correct?

Go to  www.tse.jus.br to the “título e local de votação” link,  or through the E-Título app.

How do I find out my voter ID number for the E-Título app?

Go to  www.tse.jus.br, and click on the "Local de votação" link. Type in your name, birth date, and mother's name. Make sure your mother's name is correct; it has to match her name as it was on your birth certificate.

I have questions regarding my voter ID status. Who can I contact for further assistance?

The Board of Elections created an exclusive WhatsApp number to answer questions from people living abroad: (+55) (61) 3048-1772. TSE also provides support to people living abroad through eleitor.exterior@tre-df.jus.br.

I am attempting to pay fines to settle my election status. How can I do this from overseas?

Election fines can now be paid through a payment slip, PIX, or credit card directly to the Brazilian Board of Elections (Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, often referred to as TSE). Click here.

I don't live in Chicago, but I will be in town during the upcoming elections. What are the procedures for absentee voting in transit?

There is no in-transit voting abroad. Voting in transit occurs only within Brazil. To vote abroad, you must have a fixed residence abroad and be duly registered with the Brazilian Consulate in the region where you live.