This article revisits the process of certification of election results by the National Congress during the Brazilian First Republic (1894-1930) before the Electoral Code of 1932 was created. We analyzed data on electoral protests and counter-protests submitted by political opponents to challenge electoral results of the Chamber of Deputies - unpublished sources available in Diaries and Annals of Deputies itself. Contrary to the widespread view in the literature we show that the practice kown as 'degola' ('beheading') whereby electoral results were altered by Congress, was not usual, but restricted to critical years, during moment of political uncertainty at state level. In most cases the Chamber of Deputies ratified the decision taken at the subnational level. Thus, the Brazilian case alert us to the fact that the adoption of independent courts is not just a mere response of how to solve electoral disputes that occurred in the parliament during the certification process. This finding allows us to think about the introduction of Electoral Justice as part of a broader project of political reform, including resolution mechanisms for the administration of elections.
Electoral Justice; political representation; Brazilian First Republic; beheading
