Early results show President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is ahead in Brazil’s presidential race, but falls just short of enough votes to avoid a run-off election.

With almost three quarters of the votes counted, Mr. da Silva has about 49 percent of the vote. His main rival, former Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin of the Social Democracy Party, has won 41 percent of the vote.

Mr. da Silva needs over 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off election on October 29.

The 60-year-old da Silva had a commanding lead before recent revelations that members of his leftist Workers’ Party tried to buy damaging information about his political opponents.

Many Brazilians continue to support Mr. da Silva as the champion of the country’s poor, crediting him with Brazil’s stable economy and social programs.

Mr. da Silva was first elected president in 2002.

Some 125 million people were expected to participate in the balloting. They also selected governors and members of Congress.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.