O Superior Electoral Court (TSE) released this week the spending ceilings for mayoral and councilor campaigns in each of Brazil's 5,569 municipalities. The amounts established by the Electoral Court must be followed by parties and coalitions during the October elections. These limits are essential to guarantee fair and transparent competition, respecting electoral financing rules.
Campaign spending limits for positions up for election in 2024 elections were fixed and published by TSE Ordinance No. 593/2024. The document defines the maximum amounts that can be spent by candidates for mayor and councilor, both in the first and second rounds, if any. The values were updated based on the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) from June 2016 to June 2024.
The ceilings for hiring personnel were also defined and published by the TSE Ordinance No. 594/2024. These amounts include expenses for hiring campaign staff and are essential for the financial planning of candidates and parties. During the second round, the limit established for campaigns is set at 40% of that foreseen in the first round.
There are several ranges for spending in the largest and smallest municipalities, depending on the size of the electorate. Values defined by the TSE aim to provide equity in electoral disputes, preventing abuse of economic power and promoting transparency in the use of campaign resources.
The table highlights spending limits for all cities. Check reference for the largest municipalities:
Sao Paulo-SP)
Mayor (1st Round):R$ 45,470,214.12
Councilor: R$ 3,226,138.77
Mayor (2nd Round): R$ 67,276,114.50
Councilor (2nd Round): R$ 26,910,445.80
Rio de Janeiro - RJ)
Mayor (1st Round): R$ 19,858,352.08
Councilor: R$ 1,399,742.04
Mayor (2nd Round): R$ 29,381,712.71
Councilor (2nd Round): R$ 11,752,685.09
Fortaleza (CE)
Mayor (1st Round): R$ 12,408,490.10
Councilor: R$ 460,018.94
Mayor (2nd Round): R$ 18,359,161.42
Councilor (2nd Round): R$ 7,343,664.57
The smallest municipalities have stipulated budget limit of R$ 159 thousand for mayor, and R$ 15 thousand for councillor. Below are the values for the smallest municipalities:
Borá (SP) / Araguainha (MT) / Anhanguera (GO)
Mayor (1st Round): R$ 159,850.76
Councilor: R$ 15,985.0
