Brazil Congress postpones local elections until November due to COVID-19

The text, which was approved in two rounds by lawmakers, defers the election dates to Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 from Oct. 4 and Oct. 25. The amendment - previously approved by Senators on June 23 - also allows states and cities to reconsider these dates if sanitary conditions hamper voting.

Brazil's lower house of Congress approved on Wednesday a constitutional amendment to postpone municipal elections to November from October due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The text, which was approved in two rounds by lawmakers, defers the election dates to Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 from Oct. 4 and Oct. 25.

The amendment - previously approved by Senators on June 23 - also allows states and cities to reconsider these dates if sanitary conditions hamper voting. "We are convinced that changing the 2020 electoral calendar is a necessary measure in the current context of the public health emergency that is being imposed and that the proposed new deadlines and dates are adequate and honor the democratic and republican principles," said lawmaker and rapporteur of the amendment, Jhonatan de Jesus.