On October 1, former President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday, making him the longest-living president in American history. Just two weeks later, on October 16, he exercised his right to vote by mail, casting his ballot in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Jason Carter, Carter’s grandson and chair of the Carter Center, shared that since February of last year, his grandfather has been receiving care at a hospice. On October 16, he voted by mail, and family members helped by delivering his absentee ballot to a drop box at a courthouse in Americus, Georgia.

In recent weeks, the Carter family noted that the former president has been downplaying the significance of reaching his centennial milestone. Instead, his primary desire has been to cast his vote for Kamala Harris.

According to Georgia state law, October 7 marked the first day for counties to send out domestic mail-in ballots to registered voters. Election officials have been mailing ballots for military and overseas voters since September. Early in-person voting began on October 15, and reports from regulatory agencies indicate that voter turnout is at an all-time high.

While it’s unclear when Carter cast his very first vote, historical records show that in 1943, Georgia became the first state in the nation to lower the voting age to 18. Carter was just a few months shy of turning 19 when voters decided to amend the state constitution.

In 1962, Carter entered the political arena by defeating an opponent embroiled in a ballot scandal to become a state senator. He has stated that this experience inspired him and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, to establish the Carter Center after leaving the White House in 1981. Throughout his career, he has remained focused on voter registration and campaign finance, prioritizing these issues early in his presidency. After leaving office, he conducted election monitoring missions around the globe for the Carter Center.

State records indicate that Carter has been a consistently reliable voter, regularly participating in general elections and special elections. For over a decade, he has utilized mail-in voting.

Georgia is one of the most competitive states in presidential elections, making it crucial for candidates to secure its electoral votes. During his presidency, Carter suggested abolishing the Electoral College; had that proposal been realized, the significance of Georgia’s outcomes might not be as critical as they are today.