Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in US election

Summarised from 9 outlets · 10 reports · Updated 30 Oct, 16:12 · Archive

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, submitted a mail-in ballot in Illinois for the midterm elections.

Pope Leo XIV has submitted his mail-in ballot in Illinois for the midterm elections next week, the Vatican confirmed on Friday. He is the first pontiff known to have voted in any political election in the history of the Catholic Church.

The Chicago-born pope, who was born Robert Francis Prevost on 14 September 1955, requested the mail-in ballot on 3 October from the Will County clerk's office, registering at an address in New Lenox, Illinois. Kim Fladhammer, the chief of staff at the clerk's office, confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times that 'Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election'.

The Vatican said Leo 'has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so'. It added that during his years living in Peru as a missionary and bishop, he also voted whenever eligible. 'The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,' the Holy See press office stated.

Leo, now 71, became the first American-born pope when he was elected in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis. He has not returned to the United States since becoming leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He remains an American citizen despite serving as head of Vatican City, which has been recognised as an independent state since 1929.

According to a voting rights expert at UCLA School of Law, Leo did not lose his voting rights upon moving to the Vatican. Under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, Americans living abroad are permitted to vote by absentee ballot in the jurisdiction where they were last domiciled before leaving the country.

Records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections show that since 2000, Prevost has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times. The records do not show which candidates he supported. While registered in Cook County, he requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010.

Leo requested his mail-in ballot ten days before undergoing surgery on 13 October to remove a lower lobe of his right lung after being diagnosed with lung cancer. The Vatican confirmed last week that despite his recent health challenges, Leo plans to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in early November as scheduled.

Leo has clashed with President Trump over several issues. In April, the pope called for peace following United States-Israeli strikes on Iran, which Trump responded to by calling Leo 'weak on crime' and 'terrible for foreign policy' on Truth Social. Leo has also criticised Trump's immigration enforcement policies and mass deportation campaigns. The midterm elections are scheduled for 3 November and will determine which party controls Congress.

How it is being reported

• Pope Leo is first pope to vote in U.S. electionsAmerican Pope Leo XIV has voted in the upcoming U.S. elections and is the first pope ever to do so, the Vatican announced Friday.UPI · 30 Oct, 16:28
• US midterms: Pope Leo XIV casts vote by mailAs a US citizen, Pope Leo XIV is eligible to vote in US elections and has made use of that right with a postal ballot ahead of Tuesday's midterms. The pontiff, a Chicago native, did not reveal who he voted for.DW News · 30 Oct, 16:14
• Pope Leo votes in US midterms in first known political ballot for any pontiffUS citizen Leo, who has clashed with Donald Trump over several issues, submitted his vote by post in Chicago Pope Leo has voted in the US midterm elections – the first time a pontiff is known to have cast a ballot in any political election at any time in history. Leo, who has clashed with the US president, Donald Trump, over several issues, submitted his vote by post in Chicago, where he was born, the Vatican said on Friday. Leo became the first American leader of the Catholic church last year after the death of Pope Francis. Continue reading...Guardian World · 30 Oct, 16:01
• Why Pope Leo was legally allowed to vote in US election — despite being leader of Vatican City"He’s an American citizen living abroad. He didn’t lose his voting rights when he moved to the Vatican," an expert said.New York Post · 30 Oct, 15:47
• Chicago-born Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in US election after blasting Trump over Iran war and president's treatment of migrantsPope Leo voted in Illinois by mail-in ballot in the 2026 midterm elections, the Vatican confirmed,Daily Mail · 30 Oct, 14:54
• Pope Leo XIV becomes first pontiff to vote in a US electionThe Chicago-born pontiff, who has a tense relationship with Trump, mailed in a ballot for the midterm elections that will decide control of the US Congress.BBC News · 30 Oct, 14:48
• Pope Leo makes history in US election with move confirmed by VaticanPope Leo XIV requested a mail ballot from Vatican City to vote in Illinois' midterm elections, potentially the first pope to vote in a U.S. election.Fox News · 30 Oct, 14:45
• Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in a U.S. electionThe Vatican said Pope Leo exercised his right as a U.S. citizen, submitting a mail-in ballot in his native Chicago ahead of the midterm elections next week.CBS News · 30 Oct, 13:50
• Pope Leo XIV makes history as first pope to vote in US general electionPope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election.New York Post · 30 Oct, 13:35
• Pope Leo has registered to vote in US midterms: reportPontiff secures mail-in ballot ahead of crucial elections and after sparring with Donald Trump earlier this year over the Iran war, which saw the president accuse him of being ‘weak’ and ‘endangering Catholics’Independent World · 30 Oct, 12:14

In this story: Pope Leo XIV · Donald Trump · Robert Francis Prevost · Illinois · Vatican City · Chicago · Will County clerk's office · Roman Catholic Church

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