Pope Leo XIV becomes first pope in history to vote in U.S. general election

Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election. The Vatican confirmed on Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.

Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and has done so “whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said. The statement added that he had also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible. Leo lived in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop for more than 20 years. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” the statement said.

In Illinois, voters are deciding whether to elect Gov. JB Pritzker to a third term and are also filling an open U.S. Senate seat after the retirement of longtime Catholic Democrat Dick Durbin.

The Chicago Sun-Times first reported Leo’s vote, quoting the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office as saying the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3. That request came 10 days before Leo underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. He was released from the hospital on Oct. 17 and has been slowly resuming his activities at the Vatican. It is unclear how he returned the ballot. His older brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois, where the elder Prevost attends Mass. Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.

According to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections since 2000, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times. The records do not show which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot, but no such declaration is required in general elections. While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, he requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016. The records also show he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.

Since becoming pope, Leo has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and calling for dignified treatment of immigrants. Earlier this year, Trump called Leo “weak” and captive to the “radical left.” Responding to the public rebuke, Leo told reporters en route to Algeria: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”

“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said, a commitment to peacemaking (Matthew 5:9).

The public dispute has subsided in recent months.

Source: Read the original report