Rio de Janeiro Polling Station Relocated Due to Flea Infestation
Thousands of Rio de Janeiro voters were redirected to alternative polling stations during Brazil's presidential runoff due to a severe flea infestation.
Thousands of voters in Rio de Janeiro had to cast their ballots at alternative locations during Sunday's presidential runoff election after a severe flea infestation forced the last-minute closure of a designated polling station.
According to local reports, the unusual incident occurred at the Visconde de Porto Seguro municipal school in the Jardim Sulacap neighborhood of western Rio de Janeiro. Ten polling stations were abruptly relocated to the Marques Rodrigues educational institution, situated approximately 500 meters away, after election officials discovered the site remained heavily infested.
Local authorities noted that the infestation had initially been detected prior to the first round of voting. Although extermination procedures were carried out and sanitary clearance was granted, inspection teams arriving on Saturday found that the fleas were still present, prompting an immediate decision to relocate to ensure public safety.
Claudio de Melo Tavares, president of the Regional Electoral Court in Rio de Janeiro, stated that the transition was executed smoothly without significant disruptions or complaints from voters. Out of 5,040 voting centers across the city, only two required relocation between the first and second rounds, with the second site shifted due to unrelated infrastructure issues.
