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In the far-flung outpost of Adak, Alaska—where the locals have a penchant for voting while the rest of the country is still trying to decide which Instagram filter best enhances their brunch—one resident will again get the dubious glory of being the last American to cast a ballot for president. It’s a title that comes with all the fanfare of winning a participation trophy in a three-legged race, but hey, at least they’re having fun, right?

City Manager Layton Lockett cheerily confirmed that while America’s Big Decisions are already mostly fizzled out like a soda left open overnight, the good folks of Adak still gather ‘round to hit the polls at the gloriously unexciting hour of 8 PM local time, which just so happens to coincide with 1 AM on the East Coast. Just imagine the thrill: they’re watching the clock tick down while rest of the country sleeps off their election night binge-watching sessions, blissfully unaware of their fate.

Mary Nelson, Adak’s OG “Last Voter” from 2012, reminisced about the good old days when she all but forgot to vote and then was thrust into the limelight for it. “Oh, I was just here minding my business, but look at me—fame found me right before I went home to read about how the election I just participated in had already been decided!” A real-life celebrity moment, if you will. Today, Nelson offers her story like a war hero recounting tales of valor, which is rich considering the only “battle” happening in Adak these days is the struggle for survival against its rapidly dwindling population.

Speaking of numbers, the island once boasted a population of 6,000 when it was a military base, and now, thanks to a dwindling fish processing plant and the local school shutting down for a reported absence of literally any students, there’s a high-stakes game of “guess the last resident.” Lockett grimly noted they’re probably down to fewer than 50 full-time residents, and the aim now is to attract the military back. Because if there’s anything more comforting than living in a town with a military base, it’s living in a town with virtually no people.

So, as the next presidential election looms, Adak is gearing up for its special moment in the spotlight once more. Cue the competition for the coveted title of “Last Voter”—a title so prestigious it might even earn a spot in the Guinness World Records under “Weirdest Traditions.” As Lockett mused, the only question left is not who will vote but if they can even muster up enough enthusiasm to keep the tradition alive while wondering if this coup of cut-off democracy really matters when Guam is sitting out in the cold, sideways glance.

Cheers to Adak—where political participation is treated like a quirky sport and war stories are exchanged over coffee spiked with “at least we’re not in Nome” satisfaction. What’s next for this charmingly absurd little enclave? Stay tuned, folks; the race for the last vote may just be unlike anything you’ve ever not cared about.

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