Individual identification technology as a pillar of legal security and legitimacy of suffrage in the Brazilian electoral system
The consolidation of Brazilian democracy is fundamentally based on ensuring that the voter’s will is respected and accurately counted. In this context, the Electoral Court has invested in the modernization of identification mechanisms, with biometrics being the most advanced stage of this process. The gradual implementation, interrupted by the global health crisis, was resumed with the aim of reaching the entire electorate. Understanding whether biometrics registration is mandatory to vote in the 2026 elections requires an analysis of the resolutions of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the review schedule for the national electorate.
Is biometrics registration mandatory to vote in the 2026 elections?
The issue of whether biometric registration is mandatory for the next general electoral cycle involves the distinction between ordinary convocation and electorate review. The TSE set a goal of collecting fingerprints and photographs from 100% of eligible voters by 2026.
Although voting is a constitutional right, the exercise of this right depends on the regularity of electoral registration. Registration becomes mandatory under the following legal and administrative conditions:
Municipalities under Electoral Review: In locations where the Electoral Court determines that the review must be carried out using biometrics, attendance is mandatory. Failure to appear within the stipulated period will result in the cancellation of the voter registration card;
Consequences of Cancellation: With the title cancelled, the citizen is prevented from voting. Therefore, indirectly, biometrics become a prerequisite for suffrage;
New Enlistments and Transfers: For citizens who are going to obtain their first title or transfer their electoral domicile, biometric collection is already a standard and mandatory procedure in registry offices that have the biometric kit;
Reopening of Registration: After registration for the 2024 municipal elections closes, the TSE will reopen the system for updates aimed at 2026, intensifying calls for biometric regularization.
Therefore, to guarantee their ability to vote in 2026, voters must check whether their electoral domicile has undergone or will undergo the mandatory review procedure. The institutional tendency is for the requirement to be universalized.
History and evolution of voter identification
The trajectory of voter identification in Brazil reflects the continuous search to eliminate fraud and speed up the process. The biometric identification project is not an isolated event, but part of a planned historical evolution.
Pilot Phase (2008): The TSE began testing biometric technology in three municipalities: Colorado do Oeste (RO), Pfeiffer (SC) and São João Batista (SC). The technical success of this stage allowed the expansion of the program.
Gradual Expansion (2010-2018): With each electoral cycle, the Electoral Court increased the number of municipalities subject to mandatory re-registration. The initial focus was on capitals and cities with a history of inconsistencies in the registry.
Health Suspension (2020-2022): Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the collection of biometric data was suspended to avoid crowds and physical contact with reading equipment (fingerprint scanners). In the 2022 elections, the TSE allowed voting without biometrics for those who had not yet registered, using the traditional voting sheet as a contingency.
Resumption (Post-2022): The process was restarted with the aim of integrating data from the Electoral Court into the National Civil Identification (ICN) project, aiming for a single identification document for Brazilian citizens.
Technical functioning of the biometric system
Electoral biometrics operates through a rigorous technical protocol that ensures the uniqueness of the record. The system prevents the same person from having more than one voter registration card or from different people using the same identity to vote.
The collection and validation process involves three main steps:
Data Collection: At electoral offices, the fingerprints of the voter’s ten fingers, a photograph of the face (for facial recognition) and the digitized signature are collected.
Data Beat (AFIS): The information collected is sent to a central server and submitted to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). This system compares new fingerprints with all others already existing in the national database. If there is duplicity (same fingerprint for CPFs or different names), the system alerts for possible fraud investigation.
Verification on Voting Day: At the polling station, the voter’s identity is confirmed by reading the fingerprint on the poll worker’s terminal. The electronic ballot box is only released for voting after positive biometric recognition, eliminating the need, in many cases, for signature on the sheet of paper.
Importance for democratic integrity
The implementation of biometrics transcends technological modernization; it represents a measure of public and institutional security. The main function of this system is to guarantee the principle of “one voter, one vote”, eliminating historical possibilities of fraud, such as voting by deceased people or the use of false documents.
In addition to election security, the Electoral Court’s biometric database — considered one of the largest and most reliable in the world — serves as a basis for validating a citizen’s identity in other government spheres. Integration with other federal bodies makes it possible to improve public policies, prevent fraud in social benefits and increase the efficiency of public administration. The accuracy of the electoral register directly reflects the legitimacy of the poll results, strengthening society’s trust in democratic institutions.
The mandatory biometric registration for the 2026 elections is, therefore, a decisive step in the maturation of the Brazilian electoral system. The Electoral Court works to ensure that the universalization of biometrics is not just a bureaucratic requirement, but a tool for inclusion and guaranteeing the veracity of the vote. It is up to the voter to follow the call notices of their municipality and regularize their registration status, ensuring their active participation in the choice of political representatives and the maintenance of their full civil rights.
