Brazil's presidential election has become a very close race between leftist former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

The counting of votes got underway on Sunday after polling stations closed.

Brazil's electoral authority says that with 70 percent of votes counted, Lula, who led the country for two terms between 2003 and 2010, had 45.7 percent, while Bolsonaro had 45.5 percent.

Points of contention in the election campaign included how to rebuild the economy, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, anti-corruption measures and protection of the Amazon rainforest, which accounts for about 60 percent of the country's land.

If none of the candidates wins a majority of votes, a run-off election will be held between the top two contenders on October 30.