The Astronauts Stranded on the Space Station Will Still Get to Cast Votes in November’s Election

Screenshot via CNN.

Astronauts Suni Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore will still be able to vote in November’s elections despite being stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) until February 2025, CNN reported on Friday.

Williams and Wilmore were only supposed to be on the ISS for eight days, but the Boeing Starliner that launched on June 5 has had technical problems with its service module. NASA determined it would be too risky for the astronauts to travel back on the spacecraft, and it was successfully returned to Earth uncrewed on Sept. 6.

The two stranded space travelers held a live video call Friday afternoon from the ISS, answering questions from reporters (including CNN space and defense correspondent Kristin Fisher) about how they were adjusting to NASA’s version of the three-hour tour from Gilligan’s Island, with an eight-day trip turning into an eight-month stay.

CNN News Central anchors Boris Sanchez and Brianna Keilar interviewed two former NASA astronauts, Garrett Reisman and Leroy Chiao, about Williams and Wilmore’s remarks.

Sanchez noted that Wilmore had mentioned requesting his absentee ballot from the ISS, since he and his colleague will still be there when Election Day happens on Nov. 6.

“He wants to vote in the election,” said Sanchez. “How does voting from space actually work?”

“It’s actually pretty simple,” replied Chiao. “Basically, an encrypted word document is sent up to, will be sent up to their email addresses. They can open those with the password. They can fill out the ballot, and then save it and then email it back to the registrar and the voting office. And then there, somebody with the password will open it and then record their votes. So it’s really actually a very simple process.”

According to Chiao, NASA set up this system “some years ago,” and he was able to use it himself in 2004 when he was going to his final training in August to be ready to launch on an October mission, and “suddenly realized” he hadn’t yet requested an absentee ballot or “made any arrangements.”

“And I quickly asked NASA, ‘hey, can I vote from the station?’ And, so ‘oh yeah, we have the process in place, no problem.’ And it turned into a great, great kind of public service announcements for me to send down messages encouraging people to go out and vote,” said Chiao.

“Yep, that’s pretty cool,” said Keilar. “You can do it even from space. Just don’t forget to request your absentee ballot. They have a very good excuse for needing one.”

Watch the clips above via CNN.