Bolsonaro and the Black Vote: Racial Voting in Brazil’s 2018 Election

ABSTRACT Two competing narratives characterize the role of race in Brazil’s 2018 election. Journalists observe that Jair Bolsonaro “entranced” nonwhite voters while “insulting them.” Scholars argue politicized race, costing him support. In contrast, this article argues racialized patterns voter behavior were not distinct from those recent general elections, and voters’ electoral choices varied within as well between racial categories. This study incorporates findings on subjectivity Brazil, which emphasize interaction identification educational status shaping consciousness. Survey data show differences are driven by highly educated black voters, who least likely to support compared white more leftist candidates. By incorporating into theoretical predictions leveraging election, identifies conditions operates shape behavior.