It was the second election during the Brazilian military government, with Artur da Costa e Silva as the sole candidate.

However, nine days after the Congress declared vacancy of the Presidency, the Castelo Branco government published on 27 October 1965 Institutional Act no.

Therefore, Castelo Branco, who was supposed to govern temporarily until 31 January 1966, extended his term until 15 March 1967, when the new president would replace him.

There had been five pre-candidacies for the election scheduled for 1964: former president Juscelino Kubitschek with slogan "JK-65, the time of agriculture" (Portuguese: JK-65, a vez da agricultura), governor of Guanabara Carlos Lacerda, former governor of Rio Grande do Sul Leonel Brizola, former president Jânio Quadros and then-governor of Pernambuco Miguel Arraes.

[3] Following various cessations of political rights, politicians including Kubitschek, Lacerda, Quadros and Adhemar de Barros were proscribed after allegations of conspiracy and corruption.