The challenge for the future governor is to manage the largest economy in the Northeast.

Mariana Jungmann - Reporter for Agência Brasil

Six candidates for governor will compete for the votes of Bahia's electorate. The elected official's task will be to manage the largest economy in the Northeast, with a gross domestic product of R$ 99,4 billion, exporting mainly oil and derivatives, paper and pulp, and chemicals, according to data from the state government and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

With 417 municipalities and a total population of 15 million, Bahia still has social problems to solve. According to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), 52,8% of children up to 14 years old live in homes without a sewage system and 25,4% in homes where there is no garbage collection.

The employment of young people is another concern that the future governor should address. Among those aged 15 to 29, 23,7% neither work nor study, and 39,9% only work. Only 12,9% of them perform both activities. Furthermore, 21% of people aged 25 and over are illiterate or have studied for less than a year. And 22% above that age have 11 years of schooling, enough to complete high school.

Until September of last year, the state had 2,7 million families registered in the single registry for federal government social programs with a per capita income of up to half the minimum wage per month.

The candidates for governor are Senator Lídice da Mata (PSB), banker Renata Mallet (PSTU), systems analyst Rogério da Luz (PRTB), congressman Rui Costa (PT), former governor Paulo Souto (DEM), and banker Marcos Mendes (PSOL).

Lídice da Mata launched her candidacy as part of the "A New Path for Bahia" coalition, which includes the PSB, PSL, and PPL parties. She was born in the city of Cachoeiro (BA) and will have Eduardo Lima Vasconcelos as her running mate for vice-governor. She previously served as a federal deputy between 2006 and 2010.

The president of the PSTU in Salvador, Renata Mallet, is running without a coalition. She will have Carlos José Bispo as her running mate for vice-governor. He is a native of Salvador and ran for city council in 2012, unsuccessfully. Like her, the PSOL candidate, Marcos Mendes, also did not form a coalition with another party. He is also from Salvador and will have Ronaldo Santos Silva as his running mate for vice-governor. Mendes has also run for governor, federal deputy, and city council in previous elections, but was not elected.

Paulo Souto will represent the Unidos pela Bahia coalition, which includes DEM, PSDB, Solidariedade, PTN, PROS, PRB, PSC, PTC, PV, PPS, PRP, PTdoB, PSDC, and PHS. He was governor of Bahia from 1995 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2006. He was also a senator from 1999 to 2002. He ran for governor of the state in the last elections but lost to Jaques Wagner (PT).

Federal deputy Rui Costa is the candidate for the PT (Workers' Party). The coalition "Pra Bahia Mudar Mais" (For Bahia to Change More), led by him, also includes PP, PSD, PDT, PR, PCdoB, PTB, PMN, PTdoB, and PHS. A native of Salvador, his running mate is João Felipe de Souza Leão. In addition to being a deputy, Costa has also served as a city councilor.

The coalition "For a Free and Just Bahia," formed by PRTB and PEN, will have Rogério da Luz as its candidate. The only candidate born outside of Bahia, in Jundiaí (SP), will have Antônio Gomes de Andrade Neto as his running mate. He was a candidate for mayor of Salvador in the last municipal elections.