NASA Astronauts Plan to Vote from Space in 2024 Presidential Election

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, currently stationed aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have expressed their intent to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November 2024, despite their extended stay in space until February 2025. The pair, who launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June, participated in a press conference from over 250 miles above Earth, detailing their unique voting plans and extended mission.

Wilmore and Williams, part of NASA’s Expedition 71/72 crew, originally expected to return to Earth earlier. However, due to technical challenges, the Starliner returned without them in September, and the astronauts will now remain on the ISS until 2025, returning aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Both astronauts have already initiated the process to vote from space, with Wilmore noting, “It’s a very important role that we all play as citizens to be included in those elections, and NASA makes it very easy for us to do that.”

Astronauts have been voting from space since 1997, when the Texas legislature passed a law enabling NASA employees to cast ballots from orbit. David Wolf was the first to do so aboard the Mir Space Station. Williams and Wilmore are following this tradition, which underscores the importance of civic duty, even from space.

Reflecting on their time on the ISS, Wilmore acknowledged the challenges of the mission, describing the extended stay as “trying at times” but also a significant learning experience. Williams, meanwhile, expressed her love for space, stating, “This is my happy place. I love being up here.” Both astronauts emphasized their readiness to handle the unexpected and their dedication to performing their duties, even in the face of difficulties.

As the astronauts continue their mission on the ISS alongside seven other crew members, they remain focused on their work while preparing to fulfill their civic responsibilities from space, demonstrating once again the reach and resilience of modern astronauts.