Even as Americans turned up in large numbers on Tuesday to cast votes to elect their 44th President, two NASA [Images] astronauts exercised their franchise 220 miles above earth and orbiting at 17,500 miles per hour.
Commander Edward Michael Fincke and Flight Engineer and Science Officer Greg Chamitoff are living and working onboard the International Space Station [Images].
A secure electronic ballot, generated by the Harris and Brazoria County Clerk's office, was uplinked by NASA's Johnson Space Centre Mission Control Centre.
An e-mail with crew member-specific credentials was sent from the County Clerk to the crew member. These credentials allowed the crew member to access the secure ballot.
The astronauts cast their votes and the secure completed ballot was then downlinked and delivered back to the County Clerk's Office via e-mail to be officially recorded.