More than 5.1 million voters in Maranhão (MA) are eligible to choose from 285 candidates for the state-deputy race in the 2026 elections, and the electorate will fill a total of 46 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Maranhão (Alema).
Allocation of Seats
The number of seats available follows a constitutional formula that ties the state-level representation to the quantity of federal deputies the state sends to Brasília. For states whose delegation does not exceed a dozen federal deputies, the law requires three state deputies for each federal deputy, establishing a baseline of thirty-six seats.
Because Maranhão sends twenty-two members to the Chamber of Deputies, the baseline is fully applied. The state then receives one additional seat for every federal deputy beyond the initial twelve, which adds ten more places and brings the chamber to its full complement.
The method used to distribute those places relies on an electoral quotient. This figure is calculated by dividing the number of valid votes by the total number of seats. A party, federation or coalition must reach that quotient in order to earn at least one seat; otherwise, it receives none.
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Election Schedule
State deputies are chosen through a proportional voting system that allows voters either to mark a specific candidate’s name or to support the party’s symbol. The timeline follows the national calendar for general elections.
The first round is set for 4 October, a date on which the outcomes for all state and federal offices will be decided. A second round, or runoff, is scheduled for 25 October, but it will only occur if the presidential or gubernatorial contests require a tie-breaker.
Coalitions and Parties
Several political alliances have registered to compete for the available seats. The “Renovação Solidária” federation merges the PRD with Solidariedade, while the “PSOL Rede” alliance brings together PSOL and Rede. Another major grouping, “Brasil da Esperança,” unites PT, PCdoB and PV, and the “União Progressista” federation combines the União and Progressistas parties.
