Astronauts aboard the International Space Station cast absentee ballots in the 2026 midterm elections. Crew members followed the same remote voting process available to other Americans overseas.
Most U.S. astronauts vote as absentee voters from their home states. Officials transmit an encrypted electronic ballot to the station, where the astronaut fills it out and returns it to the county clerk.
Texas passed a law in 1997 allowing astronauts to vote from space. The statute covers federal elections and applies to crew members living off the planet during an election.
Voting from orbit requires coordination between NASA and local election officials. The process is designed to protect ballot security while meeting deadlines for return.
Residents of Antarctica faced similar logistical hurdles. Personnel at research stations used absentee ballots to participate in the midterm elections.
Remote Alaskan villages also relied on absentee voting. Distance and limited mail service make in-person voting difficult in many rural communities.
The arrangements reflect a broader system for Americans who live far from home. Absentee voting remains the primary method for overseas military personnel, diplomats and isolated residents.
