Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) has officially registered 17 candidates to run for two Senate seats representing the state of Minas Gerais in this year's general election, according to a list compiled by CNN Brasil.
Brazilians go to the polls on 4 October to choose a new president alongside state and federal lawmakers, senators and governors. A second round of voting, if required, will be held on 25 October.
How Brazil's Senate is structured
The Federal Senate is part of Brazil's National Congress, the top body of the federal legislative branch, responsible for creating, amending, revoking and establishing laws and legal norms. Also known as the "Casa Alta" (Upper House) or "Casa Revisora" (Reviewing House), the Senate is made up of 81 lawmakers under the 1988 Federal Constitution.
This year's vote will renew two-thirds of the chamber, amounting to 54 seats nationwide. Each state elects two senators to eight-year terms. Voters cannot cast a ballot for the same candidate's name twice; doing so annuls the second vote.
The Minas Gerais field
In Minas Gerais, the 17 registered candidates come from a range of professions, including law, medicine, veterinary science, journalism, engineering and public administration. Most are running without a party coalition, while four have joined one of two coalitions.
Candidates running without a coalition
- Ana Luiza Cardoso de Macedo, born 22 March 1984, a laboratory assistant who completed high school.
- Arcanjo Carlos Pimenta, born 26 October 1964, an industrialist with a completed university degree.
- Carlos Magno de Moura Soares, born 29 February 1968, a lawyer with a completed university degree.
- Carlos Alberto Dias Viana, born 22 March 1963, a journalist and writer with a completed university degree.
- Domingos Sávio Campos Resende, born 25 March 1957, a veterinarian with a completed university degree.
- Fidélis Oliveira Alcântara, born 29 November 1973, a student, scholarship holder and intern who did not complete high school.
- Jordano Carvalho dos Santos, born 15 August 1979, a metalworking and steel industry worker who completed high school.
- Ramon Moreira, born 2 February 1961, a judge with a completed university degree.
- Manoel Teodoro Pereira de Carvalho Filho, born 6 March 1977, an animal scientist with a completed university degree.
- Marcelo Guilherme de Aro Ferreira, born 12 June 1987, a lawyer with a completed university degree.
- Marco Antônio Moreira da Costa, born 13 June 1988, a lawyer with a completed university degree.
- Sebastião de Oliveira Pessoa, born 20 January 1966, an administrator with an incomplete university degree.
- Victória de Fátima de Mello, born 27 July 1956, a municipal civil servant with a completed university degree.
Candidates running with a coalition
Two candidates are running under the coalition "Pra Minas Gerais Voltar a Sonhar" (For Minas Gerais to Dream Again), formed by the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), the Federação Brasil da Esperança - Fé Brasil (uniting the Workers' Party, the Communist Party of Brazil and the Green Party) and the Federação PSOL Rede (uniting the Socialism and Liberty Party and the Sustainability Network).
- Áurea Carolina de Freitas e Silva, born 20 November 1983, a political scientist with a completed university degree.
- Marília Aparecida Campos, born 14 September 1961, a retiree who was not a public servant, with a completed university degree.
Two further candidates are running under the coalition "Cuidar de Minas" (Caring for Minas), formed by the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) and the Federação PSDB Cidadania, which unites the Brazilian Social Democracy Party and the Cidadania party.
- Gustavo Galassi Gargalhone, born 4 July 1969, an engineer with a completed university degree.
- Marcelo Heringer, born 28 August 1966, a doctor with a completed university degree.
