The elections were the third held under the Brazilian military government, and used an electoral college system.

The National Congress had been closed since Institutional Act Number Five was issued on 13 December 1968.

President Artur da Costa e Silva left office on 14 October due to ill health, later dying on 17 December.

Vice-President Pedro Aleixo was not allowed to replace Costa e Silva, so the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate were reopened to elect the a President and Vice-President, under the Instituctional Act 16.

The candidacies of General Emílio Garrastazu Médici and vice Augusto Rademaker were approved on the National Renewal Alliance Party's national convention on 16 October.