Social Media and Votes in the 2024 Municipal Elections: An Analysis of Electoral Performance and Interactivity on Instagram and TikTok in Brazilian Capitals

Authors

  • Claudio Luis de Camargo Penteado Universidade Federal do ABC, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8279-3643

    Doutor em Ciências Sociais pela PUC/SP. Professor Titular da Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Pesquisador do Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Democracia Digital (INCT. DD), do Laboratório de Tecnologias Livres (LabLivre - UFABC) e do Núcleo de Estudos em Arte, Mídia e Política (NEAMP/PUCSP). Coordenador do Grupo de Pesquisa do Observatório de Conflitos Online (OBSERVA). Tema de pesquisa: uso das tecnologias nas práticas políticas.
    claudio.penteado@ufabc.edu.br
  • Caio Henrique Pinheiro de Paula Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brasil https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6870-0851

    Doutorando e mestre em Ciência Política e Relações Internacionais (Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB). Membro do Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia, Transformações da Participação, do Associativismo e do Confronto Político (INCT Participa) e do Grupo de Pesquisa do Observatório de Conflitos Online (OBSERVA).
    caio.pinheiro@academico.ufpb.br
  • Raquel Mirian Pereira de Souza Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1897-3631

    Mestranda em Ciência Política pela Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR). Membra do grupo de pesquisa do Observatório de Conflitos Online (OBSERVA) e do grupo de pesquisa de Comunicação Política e Opinião Pública (CPOP/UFPR).
    raquelmirian@ufpr.br

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18800/conexion.202502.005

Keywords:

Platformization, Digital election campaigns, Online engagement, Social media, Political communication, Municipal elections

Abstract

This article is a research of the relationship between the electoral performance of candidates in Brazilian state capitals in the 2024 municipal elections and their activity on Instagram and TikTok. In a scenario of platformization of politics, these social networks have become central to campaigns, serving for propaganda and mobilization. Based on an analysis of the posts of the two most voted candidates in each state capital, the study identified patterns of engagement, content production, and performance by type of candidacy and party. The results indicate that, although relevant, digital platforms have a limited impact on electoral success, conditioned by local factors. Incumbent candidates tend to stand out due to the logic of permanent campaigning. In addition, the study reveals the reproduction of inequalities between parties in the digital environment. Future research should explore the role of paid promotion, distinguishing its effects from organic results in electoral communication.

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Published

2025-12-10

How to Cite

de Camargo Penteado, C. L., Pinheiro de Paula, C. H., & Pereira de Souza, R. M. (2025). Social Media and Votes in the 2024 Municipal Elections: An Analysis of Electoral Performance and Interactivity on Instagram and TikTok in Brazilian Capitals. Conexión, (24), 139–164. https://doi.org/10.18800/conexion.202502.005

Issue

No. 24 (2025): Contar el sur global con narrativas que transmitan historias desde el periodismo, la inteligencia artificial y el arte

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.