Digital Transformation, Technology, and Innovation

Analysis of Mayoral Candidates' Proposals in the 2024 Brazilian Municipal Elections

Abstract

With the advent of the Knowledge Society, Digital Transformation, and Digital Government, Brazilians have increased their presence and use of digital and knowledge resources to meet their needs. Whether in Government, the Economy, or Citizenship, the digital, knowledge, and innovation era has brought significant challenges and opportunities to Brazil, especially for large Brazilian municipalities. In this context, this study aimed to identify the proposals for Digital Transformation, Technology, and Innovation from candidates in the 46 municipalities with populations exceeding 500,000 inhabitants who were best positioned in the voting intention polls for the 2024 municipal elections. Methodologically, a qualitative study was conducted using the technique of documentary analysis of secondary data, with government plans of the best-positioned candidates in electoral polls from the 46 selected municipalities as the primary source. A nine-step protocol was used to select proposals containing one of the 31 key terms employed. A total of 2,557 proposals from 142 candidates were identified, with 1,268 (49.59%) related to Digital Government, 658 (25.73%) to the Digital Economy, and 631 (24.68%) to Digital Citizenship. With an average of 17 proposals per candidate, the main thematic areas of the proposals were related to Digital Services, Health, Education, Business, and Public Management. The analyzed proposals provide an overview of candidates' priorities and can support the development of public policies that reflect a more strategic perception of the role of digital tools in municipal development, aligned with the demands of an increasingly digital society.