In a remarkable display of civic duty, stranded NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are making their voices heard in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
This impossible situation will not stop the pair from performing their duty as American citizens and casting their votes in the November election.
The Boeing Starliner Leaves Astronauts Stranded in Space
The Boeing Starliner failures took the internet by storm earlier this year in June, leaving a lot of people questioning the quality of life for the two, and how being stuck on the ISS with their lives on hold would affect them.
Wilmore and Williams have been on the International Space Station (ISS) since July 5th after mechanical failures on the Boeing shuttle left them stranded in space until February 2025.
Although the astronauts were expected to be home by June 14th, they have not lost their enthusiasm or their commitment to the United States democracy. Wilmore and Williams have been able to speak with folks at home, assuring the world that they are OK and have full confidence that NASA will be able to bring them home.
The pair have spoken about the importance of participating in the world below, and are even excited to cast their vote in the election from space!
Houston election officials have teamed up with NASA to ensure that these brave individuals can cast their absentee ballots despite being thousands of miles away from home. Texas law allows astronauts to cast their votes from the ISS, using secured and password-protected documents that can be filled out and sent back through mission control.
Test ballots are sent to the ISS first, then a password-protected version of the live ballots are sent to the astronauts. Once filled out, the ballots are filed and printed with the rest of the county ballots.
These laws came about when astronauts began spending more than two weeks at a time in space, starting in 1997 with astronaut David Wolf. Astronauts begin their election process a year before everyone else, however, deciding on whether they will vote locally, in state elections, and of course, in the presidential election.
This inspirational story goes to show that, even far from home, your vote in the upcoming election matters. Their participation serves as a poignant reminder that every vote counts and that even in times of uncertainty or distance, our voices matter.
For Wilmore and Williams, voting is more than just a duty. It’s a connection to their home planet and a way to contribute to shaping its future.
