Former President Jimmy Carter has cast his ballot by mail on Wednesday, according to the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on October 1 at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he had been residing in hospice care.
His son, Chip Carter, told the Associated Press that his father had been closely following the election. “Two months ago I asked him if he wanted to live to be 100, and he said, ‘No, I want to live to vote for Kamala Harris,'” Chip Carter shared.
Since early voting began on Tuesday, Georgia has seen a record-high number of registered voters turning out to vote. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reported that nearly 460,000 people had voted in person or by absentee ballot as of Wednesday afternoon.
In fact, even if Carter were to pass away before the election day on November 5, his vote would still be counted. According to Robert Sinners, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, absentee ballots received by local election officials are treated as if they were cast in person under Georgia election rules.
Jimmy Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
After leaving office, Carter took on peace missions to Cuba and the Middle East, negotiated hostage releases, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He continued to teach Sunday school and university courses in his hometown and authored books.
On his 100th birthday, President Joe Biden extended his best wishes to Carter, calling him the “moral conscience for our country and the world” and praising him as a “voice of courage, belief, and empathy.”
Carter holds the distinction of being the longest-living president in American history. In a 2019 interview with People magazine, he expressed surprise at his longevity, saying that “living to 95 is pretty tough.”
He credited his long life to his marriage, stating, “I think the best explanation [for longevity] is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you, interact with you, challenge you, and keep you engaged and interested in life.”
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter supported each other throughout their lives, growing old together. Rosalynn passed away in November 2023 at the age of 96.
(Reference: Associated Press)