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The vote count in São Paulo, the country's largest electoral district, with 7,771,503 eligible voters, is practically over. According to the Federal Electoral Court (TSE), 99.97% of the capital's 17,005 polling precincts have already been tallied.
In the mayoralty race, José Serra, of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB), has 43.56% of the votes, following by the incumbent mayor, Marta Suplicy, of the Workers' Party (PT), with 35.83%.
Immediately after learning that there will be a second round in the São Paulo municipal elections, Serra, who opposed Lula two year ago for Brazi's presidency, appealed to his adversaries, the PT, "to make this a clean campaign, without dirty tricks and without dirtying the city."
Serra made a point of emphasizing that the election is not over and that now is the start of a new phase.
"In this phase, the population will be better able to juxtapose governing styles and biographies. It will be able to compare two ways of administering the city," he declared.
Suplicy, who is running for reelection, expressed her determination to campaign in the second round.
"I am encouraged. For someone who began with 16%, making it to the second round represents a victory."
When asked whether she considered large the difference in votes between her and her adversary, José Serra, Suplicy declared:
"Polls make mistakes; they err in both directions. Now it is a new election, a second round. And we shall have the chance to expound our proposals."
The second round of municipal elections in Brazil will take place on Sunday, October 31.
Agência Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein
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