Senate drafts proposal to delay municipal election by a month

The Senate is analyzing a constitutional amendment proposal to postpone the 2020 municipal election — originally set to occur in October — by one month in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The proposal recommends moving the first and second round of municipal elections to November 15 and 29, respectively.

Cities with continuously increasing cases and death tolls would be allowed a further extension, being able to delay elections until December 27. This could especially benefit countryside towns that have just recently begun to experience an accelerated rate of new cases, as the coronavirus starts to move further inland.   

The Superior Electoral Court had originally suggested postponing elections until December, but some Senate members were concerned that December would not provide much wiggle room if the situation worsened again. The proposal will need a 60 percent absolute majority in both the House and Senate. Some House representatives are still opposed to the idea of postponing elections, according to newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, which could delay voting procedures.

An election like no other

With restrictions on public rallies and other events due to the coronavirus, political campaigns in 2020 are set to be the most digital they have ever ben. On Monday, The Brazilian Report covered how social media might play a huge role come election time. However, with a shift to online campaigning, municipal elections will also be more vulnerable than ever to the dangers of fake news attacks.

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