Brazil was a country divided in October 2014. In what turned out to be Brazil’s closest election this century, incumbent Dilma Rousseff claimed victory over rival Aécio Neves by fewer than 3.3 percentage points. Earlier in the election, Marina Silva had also been a fierce competitor, but fell off after the first round of voting. As with any election, but particularly because voting is compulsory in Brazil, the country was ripe with impassioned voters and heated debates. This was magnified in October, when polls leading up to the election showed the top two candidates in a dead heat. This competitive environment, coupled with increased smartphone adoption and a culture of sharing, made social media a prime channel for election discussion. The volume of conversation on social media

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