Few anticipate the joy of turning 100, but Jimmy Carter had more than just a birthday celebration in mind. Just two weeks after his 100th birthday, the former president made his mark on the 2024 election by casting his vote by mail from his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter, who has been living in hospice care, shows unwavering engagement with politics. His son Chip shared that Carter's goal was to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. The Carter Center confirmed the vote, but didn’t provide additional details.

Georgia has seen an impressive turnout with early voting beginning on Tuesday, drawing nearly 460,000 voters by Wednesday afternoon. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reported these numbers. Rest assured, Carter's vote will count even if he's no longer with us by Election Day on November 5. Robert Sinners, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office, clarified that Georgia law states absentee ballots are considered cast as soon as they're received. Vote counting rules vary by state, but the issue gained traction in 2020 due to rising COVID-19 deaths.

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the start of early voting in Georgia as Monday and Tuesday instead of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Former President Carter Votes for the Future at Age 100

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