2026 Minas Gerais gubernatorial election

2026 Minas Gerais gubernatorial election

←  2022 4 October 2026 (2026-10-04)(first round) 2030 →

Opinion polls

Incumbent Governor Romeu Zema NOVO

Senatorial election

4 October 2026 (2026-10-04)(one-only round)

Opinion polls

Incumbent Senator Rodrigo Pacheco and Carlos Viana PSD and PODE

The 2026 Minas Gerais gubernatorial election will be held in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, on Sunday 4 October 2026. Voters will elect a Governor, Vice Governor, two Senators, 53 representatives for the Chamber of Deputies, and 77 Legislative Assembly members. If no candidate for president or governor receives a majority of the valid votes in the first round, a runoff election is held on 25 October.

Incumbent governor Romeu Zema of the New Party (NOVO), reelected in 2022 with 56.18% of the vote in the first round, is term-limited and ineligible to run for a third consecutive term. Incumbent senators Rodrigo Pacheco of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Carlos Viana of Podemos (PODE) are completing their eight-year terms and are eligible to run for reelection or other offices.

Background

Electoral calendar

Note: This section only presents the main dates of the 2026 electoral calendar, check the TSE official website (in Portuguese) and other official sources for detailed information.

Electoral calendar
15 May	Start of crowdfunding of candidates
20 July to 5 August	Party conventions for choosing candidates and coalitions
16 August to 1 October	Period of exhibition of free electoral propaganda on radio, television and on the internet related to the first round
4 October	First round of 2026 elections
9 October to 23 October	Period of exhibition of free electoral propaganda on radio, television and on the internet related to a possible second round
25 October	Possible second round of 2026 elections
until 19 December	Delivery of electoral diplomas for those who were elected in the 2026 elections by the Brazilian Election Justice

Governor

Incumbent governor Romeu Zema was reelected in the first round of the 2022 election with 56.18% of the vote, defeating Alexandre Kalil of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Zema, a businessman who was originally elected in 2018 as a political outsider, solidified his administration's liberal economic agenda during his first term. Because he served a full term and was subsequently reelected in 2022, he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive period in executive office. ^[1]

Zema governs alongside Vice Governor Mateus Simões, elected on the New Party (NOVO) ticket in 2022. In a strategic move to broaden the coalition for the 2026 succession, Simões affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in late 2025. Unlike the friction seen in other states, this switch was publicly endorsed by Zema, positioning Simões as the continuity candidate in an alliance between the governor's group and the powerful political machine led by Gilberto Kassab. ^{[2] [3]}

Senator

Senators in Brazil serve an 8-year term, meaning the incumbents were elected in 2018.

Rodrigo Pacheco, a lawyer and former Federal Deputy, was elected to the Senate in 2018 as a member of the Democrats (DEM). He later joined the PSD and served as President of the Federal Senate (2021–2025), raising his profile to a national level. He is eligible for reelection. ^[4]

Carlos Viana, a journalist and former TV presenter, holds the second Senate seat. He was elected in 2018 via the Humanist Party of Solidarity (PHS), as the candidate of the popular Belo Horizonte mayor Alexandre Kalil, but has since changed parties multiple times, including stints in the PSD, MDB, and PL. In 2022, he ran for Governor of Minas Gerais with the support of Jair Bolsonaro but finished a distant third. Currently affiliated with Podemos (PODE), he is eligible to run for a second term in the Senate. ^[5]

Gubernatorial candidates

Declared candidates

• Mateus Simões, lawyer and professor, current Vice-Governor of Minas Gerais (since 2023), former Secretary-General of the State (2020–2022), and former City Councilor of Belo Horizonte (2017–2020). ^[6]
• Alexandre Kalil, businessman and sports executive, former Mayor of Belo Horizonte (2017–2022), and candidate for Governor of Minas Gerais in 2022. ^[7]
• Cleitinho Azevedo, gospel musician and businessman, current Senator for Minas Gerais (since 2023), former State Deputy (2019–2023), and former City Councilor of Divinópolis (2017–2019). ^[8]

Expressed interest

• Rodrigo Pacheco, lawyer, current President of the Federal Senate (since 2021) and Senator (since 2019), former Federal Deputy (2015–2019), and candidate for Mayor of Belo Horizonte in 2016. ^[9]
• Tadeu Martins Leite, lawyer, current President of the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais (since 2023) and State Deputy (since 2011), former Secretary of State for Regional Development (2015–2016). ^[10]

Speculated by the media

• Alexandre Silveira, police chief, current Minister of Mines and Energy (since 2023) under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former Senator (2022–2023), and former Federal Deputy (2007–2015). ^[11]
• Aécio Neves, economist, current Federal Deputy (since 2019), current President of Brazilian Social Democracy Party, former Senator (2011–2019), former Governor of Minas Gerais (2003–2010), former President of the Chamber of Deputies (2001–2002), and candidate for President of Brazil in 2014. ^[12]

Declined or withdrew

• Marília Campos, psychologist, current Mayor of Contagem (since 2021), former State Deputy (2011–2020), and former Mayor of Contagem (2005–2012). ^[13]
• Nikolas Ferreira, lawyer, current Federal Deputy (since 2023), former City Councilor of Belo Horizonte (2021–2023). ^[14]

Opinion polling

First round

The first round is scheduled for 4 October 2026, with a second round (if necessary) on 25 October 2026. ^[15]

Pollster/client(s)	Date(s) conducted	Sample size	Cleitinho Republicanos	Pacheco PSD	Ferreira PL	Kalil PDT	Simões PSD	Neves PSDB	Silveira PSD	Azevedo MDB	Others	Blank/ undec.	Lead
Genial/Quaest [16]	13–17 Aug 2025	1,482	28%	9%	–	16%	4%	–	–	–	–	43%	12%
AtlasIntel [17]	20–25 Aug 2025	2,035	14.1%	32.8%	30.1%	8.3%	5.3%	3.5%	–	–	2.3%	3.5%	2.7%
			39.6%	–	–	9.4%	8.0%	6.7%	13.6%	–	14.9%	7.9%	26.0%
			41.4%	44.5%	–	–	9.9%	–	–	–	1.5%	2.7%	3.1%
Real Time Big Data [18]	8–9 Dec 2025	1,500	38%	–	–	18%	9%	–	–	4%	–	31%	20%
F5 Atualiza Dados [19]	8–10 Dec 2025	1,560	25%	4%	–	5%	3%	7%	–	4%	4%	47%	18%

Second round

Second-round simulations (where available):

Pollster/client(s)	Date(s) conducted	Sample size	Cleitinho	Pacheco	Ferreira	Kalil	Silveira	Simões	Blank/ undec.	Lead
AtlasIntel [20]	20–25 Aug 2025	2,035	–	48%	49%	–	–	–	–	1%
			50%	46%	–	–	–	–	–	4%
			–	46%	–	–	–	27%	–	19%
			49%	–	–	28%	–	–	–	21%
			51%	–	–	–	26%	–	–	25%

References

1. "Romeu Zema é reeleito governador de MG no 1º turno - Eleições 2022". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
2. Ferreira, Fransciny (2025-12-10). "Os movimentos por trás da filiação de Mateus Simões ao PSD, segundo Romeu Zema". O Fator (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
3. "Vice de Zema defende candidatura única da direita em 2026, mesmo que não encabece projeto: 'Não sou apegado'". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
4. "Pacheco diz que não pretende disputar novas eleições: 'Nunca pensei em me eternizar na política'". Estadão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
5. Lopes, Edilene (2025-12-03). "Cleitinho e Viana podem estar na mesma chapa em MG nas eleições de 2026". Rádio Itatiaia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
6. Soares, Júlio (2025-12-30). "A equação buscada pelo Novo para manter a vaga de vice de Simões". O Fator (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
7. Mota, Mozart (2025-03-06). "Cleitinho lidera pesquisa para o governo de Minas Gerais em 2026". Republicanos10 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
8. 98 Live (2025-10-16). Alexandre Kalil se filia ao PDT para disputar o governo de Minas Gerais em 2026 . Retrieved 2026-01-01– via YouTube.
9. Pacheco avalia saída do PSD para disputar governo de MG. CNN Brasil. 2025-10-22. Retrieved 2026-01-01– via YouTube.
10. Itatiaia (2025-07-17). O ENCONTRO ENTRE PACHECO E TADEUZINHO E A COSTURA PARA 2026 . Retrieved 2026-01-01– via YouTube.
11. "Silveira: Sou entusiasta da candidatura de Pacheco para o governo de MG". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-09-04. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
12. "Aécio Neves nega intenção de disputar o governo de Minas Gerais – Jovem Pan". Aécio Neves nega intenção de disputar o governo de Minas Gerais – Jovem Pan (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-05-13. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
13. MARÍLIA CAMPOS DESCARTA CANDIDATURA EM 2026 E DIZ QUE VAI TERMINAR MANDATO . Retrieved 2026-01-01– via www.youtube.com.
14. Verenicz, Marina (2025-11-29). ""Não é o momento": Nikolas descarta governo de Minas e explica razão estratégica". InfoMoney (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-01-01.
15. "Falta um ano para as Eleições 2026". Tribunal Regional Eleitoral de Minas Gerais (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 October 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
16. "Quaest: Cleitinho tem 28% das intenções de voto em MG; Kalil, 16% na disputa pelo governo". Gazeta do Povo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 22 August 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
17. "Pesquisa testa Pacheco e Nikolas para o governo de Minas; veja os resultados". CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 August 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
18. "Rodada Nacional por Estados (Nov/Dez) — Minas Gerais (Metodologia)" (PDF). Poder360 (PDF host) (in Brazilian Portuguese). December 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
19. "Cleitinho lidera pesquisa para o governo do estado". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). 15 December 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
20. "Pesquisa testa Pacheco e Nikolas para o governo de Minas; veja os resultados". CartaCapital (in Brazilian Portuguese). 29 August 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-05.