NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, currently stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have confirmed they will vote in the upcoming November 5 U.S. presidential election – casting their ballots from space.
“It’s a very important duty that we have as citizens, and I’m looking forward to being able to vote from space, which is pretty cool,” Williams, who is of Indian origin, said during a press conference held Friday. The 58-year-old astronaut has been living on the ISS alongside Wilmore (61), since June.
The two astronauts’ return to Earth, originally scheduled after an 8-day voyage, was delayed when their Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered technical issues mid-flight. Despite the delay, both astronauts emphasized their determination to exercise their civic responsibilities.
“I sent down my request for a ballot today,” Wilmore shared during the press conference. “It’s a very important role that we play as citizens, including participating in elections, and NASA makes it very easy for us to do that.”
Williams and Wilmore did not disclose which presidential candidate — former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris — they plan to support. Voting from space, however, has been a reality for NASA astronauts since 1997, when a Texas law was passed allowing NASA employees to participate in elections while in orbit.
The first astronaut to cast a vote from space was David Wolf, who voted from the Mir Space Station in 1997. In 2020, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins also exercised her right to vote from the ISS.
Election officials from Harris County, Texas — home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center — facilitate the process by sending astronauts a password-protected PDF ballot with clickable options, ensuring the secrecy of the vote.
Although the two astronauts were initially scheduled to return to Earth earlier this month, their spacecraft returned without them to clear space for the upcoming arrival of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which is now expected to bring Williams and Wilmore back in February 2025.
Despite the extended stay, both astronauts expressed a sense of gratitude for the additional time aboard the ISS. Williams, who was recently named the ISS commander, and Wilmore remain focused on their mission, stating that they are prepared for unexpected changes.
“It’s risky, and that’s how it goes in the business,” Williams said, drawing parallels to her past experience in the Navy. “We were watching our spaceship fly away, but we were tasked with ensuring it left the ISS safely.”
When asked whether they felt let down by NASA or Boeing for the delayed return, Wilmore was quick to dispel any notion of disappointment. “Absolutely not,” he replied. Pointing to the NASA logo on Williams' t-shirt, he added: “That represents something that we stand for as an agency — we go beyond, we do things that are out of the ordinary. This is not easy.”
Both astronauts emphasized that a significant part of their training prepares them for the unexpected, with Wilmore remarking that 90 percent of astronaut training is dedicated to such scenarios.
As they await their return journey, Williams noted that she remains in good spirits, adding that she is looking forward to the next few months on the ISS. “We’re here with our friends, and we’ve got a ride home,” she said with a smile.