BRASILIA, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Voting in the first round of Brazil's 2026 presidential election officially began at 8 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Sunday, with polling stations across the country scheduled to close at 5 p.m. (0800 GMT).

Initial results are expected to be announced within a few hours after the polls close.

Recent opinion polls showed incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the ruling Workers' Party and Flavio Bolsonaro, the presidential candidate of Brazil's Liberal Party and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, leading the race with a significant advantage over other candidates.