Overview
- A g1 analysis of TSE records found 909 of 6,315 repeat candidates altered their self-declared race or color between the 2022 and 2026 elections, equal to 14.4% of the group analyzed.
- Most changes were in proportional races for state, federal or district deputies, with 855 of the 909 cases occurring in those contests and no presidential candidates among the changes.
- The two largest flows were parda to branca (322) and branca to parda (317), and net moves into and out of categories classed as black (preta/parda) were roughly balanced.
- Under new procedures the candidacy system now auto-fills race from the Cadastro Eleitoral and flags discrepancies for candidate and party confirmation, and the Justiça Eleitoral can investigate and demand repayment if funds meant for black candidacies were wrongly received.
- The data do not show motives or prove fraud; local reporting from Ceará shows some candidates saying entries were clerical errors and that party staff often fill registration forms, pointing to gaps in controls that could prompt tighter checks or legal reviews.