How Mercury & Mars Retrograde Could Affect The Voting Booths This Year

Every planet, astrologically speaking, governs a different part of our lives. Mercury deals with interpersonal expression, information, logic, and transportation. When it goes retrograde, it passes the Earth in its trip around the Sun, making it look like it's moving in a different direction in the sky. (It's not actually moving backward—just appears to be.)

As the twins explain, "Mercury rules technology and communication, and when it turns retrograde, these things can go haywire. This includes the post office and the transfer of mail, both electronic and paper."

Since many people will be voting via absentee ballot this year, issues with the mail could pose a real problem, they predict. "Will mail get lost, votes be miscounted, hackers meddle with algorithms? The odds of things going awry are multiplied [under a retrograde]."

For a bit of context, the twins note the last time Mercury was retrograde during a U.S. election was during the Bush–Gore election of 2000, when the Supreme Court had to settle a Florida voter dispute.

Oh, and not for nothing, but Mars is also retrograde until November 15. Mars won't affect voting so much, but you can bet tempers will flare, as the twins note it can feel like "a global temper tantrum" when Mars goes retrograde.

Moral of the story: If you want to be an engaged voter this year, practice some extra diligence and solidify those voting plans stat. Triple check that everything is filled in correctly if you're voting by mail, confirm you have the correct polling place if you're voting in person, and remind friends and family to do the same.