As the United States gears up for the 2024 presidential election, astronaut Sunita Williams is making history by voting from space. Alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, Williams is orbiting Earth on the International Space Station (ISS), but that hasn’t stopped them from participating in the election.
Sunita Williams Votes from Space
NASA has allowed astronauts to vote from space since 1997, when a Texas law permitted this unique process. The first American astronaut to vote from space was David Wolf, who cast his ballot from the Russian Mir Space Station. Since then, NASA has made it easier for astronauts to exercise their right to vote, no matter where they are in orbit.
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The process begins with astronauts submitting a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA), which allows them to request an absentee ballot. Before Election Day, NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) sends an encrypted electronic ballot to the astronaut’s secure email. Astronauts then use their unique credentials to access the ballot, cast their vote, and send it back down to Earth, where it goes directly to the county clerk’s office.
In an interview, Sunita Williams expressed excitement about voting from space, calling it a “pretty cool” experience. For her, it’s not just a right but an important duty. Although she’s far from home, she is committed to participating in her country’s democratic process.
While on the ISS, Williams and Wilmore have had to deal with various technical issues, including a few thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. They traveled to space aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024, marking the first time Starliner transported astronauts. After some maintenance, they’re scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025 on a SpaceX spacecraft.
Sunita Williams’ vote from space is another example of how technology enables astronauts to stay connected with life on Earth. Despite being over 200 miles above the ground, Williams and other astronauts continue to inspire people by fulfilling their civic duties, even from outer space.
