Vote counting under way in South Africa; astronauts cast ballots from space

From a record number of registered voters in South Africa's local elections to astronauts casting ballots from the International Space Station, Wednesday 5 November offered a glimpse into the many ways people participate in democracy around the world, from local polling stations to the microgravity of low Earth orbit.

In South Africa, vote counting was under way after 29.2 million people registered to vote for municipal councils, the highest figure on record. Local council elections determine leadership for municipalities, which oversee essential services such as water, electricity and waste management. The record registration suggests strong public interest in local governance and the issues affecting daily life. The election is widely viewed as a test for the African National Congress (ANC), which has largely led the country since the end of apartheid rule. No official results had been announced by early Thursday, with counting expected to continue in the coming days.

Meanwhile, NASA astronaut Anil Menon shared a video on social media demonstrating how he voted in the US midterm elections from space. Menon, who cast his ballot for Harris County in Texas, was one of three American astronauts aboard the ISS who took part in the November 3 elections. The video showed the process of filling out and submitting the ballot from the microgravity environment of the space station, highlighting how technology has extended democratic participation beyond Earth.

Although the two developments are unrelated, they both underscore the adaptability of electoral systems, whether accommodating millions of voters at polling stations or enabling a handful of astronauts to vote hundreds of kilometres above the planet. Whether in municipal councils on the ground or electronic ballots in space, the day's events illustrated that voting is an essential civic act across different contexts.