Pope Leo XIV becomes first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election

Pope Leo XIV has made history by becoming the first pontiff to cast a ballot in a United States general election, submitting a mail-in vote from the Vatican ahead of November's midterms. The Vatican confirmed on Friday that the American-born pope exercised his civic duty, cementing a lifelong pattern of electoral participation that dates back decades. The development bridges the highest office in the Catholic Church with the mechanics of American democracy, bringing a striking new chapter to the relationship between the Holy See and U.S. politics at a moment when tensions between the Vatican and President Trump run high.

The Holy See press office stated that the pontiff, formerly known as Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen whenever eligible. The statement added that the 71-year-old pope has also confirmed that, during his years of residence in Peru he exercised his right to vote whenever he was eligible to do so. The Vatican noted that The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes. The vote itself was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which cited the chief of staff at the Will County clerk's office confirming that the pope requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3 using a New Lenox address in suburban Illinois. Kim Fladhammer, the office's chief of staff, told the newspaper, Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election.

Electoral History and Political Background

State records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections reveal a detailed political footprint for the man who was elected to lead the church in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis. Since 2000, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections and submitted ballots in every general election except those in 2020 and 2022. While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, he requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After relocating to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a ballot in a primary, but no such declaration is required in general elections, and the state records do not show which specific candidates he supported.

This unprecedented electoral act occurs against a backdrop of open friction between the pontiff and the Trump administration. Trump previously sparred with Leo earlier this year over the Iran war, calling the pope weak and terrible after Leo wrote on X, Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs. Trump later attacked the pope again over Iran, asserting that he was endangering a lot of Catholics by opposing efforts to stop the theocratic regime in Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon. Vice President JD Vance, a fairly recent Catholic convert, also waded into the disputes by advising Leo to be careful when discussing theology. More recently, Leo addressed a general audience at the Vatican on Sept. 2, urging the faithful to leave behind all passivity and indifference toward current events. We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved, the pope said in St. Peter's Square, according to the Catholic News Service. Ground News noted that the pope is set to weigh in on U.S. politicians not from St. Peter's Square, but from the ballot box.

Health, Family, and Upcoming Travel

The logistics of the pontiff's voting method remain partially opaque. While the Will County clerk's office confirmed the mail-in ballot request, it remains unclear how Leo ultimately returned the document to Illinois. His brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude's, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox where the elder Prevost attends Mass and where Leo gave a talk in 2024 while still a cardinal. The timing of the historic ballot coincides with a demanding personal and professional schedule for the pontiff.

Leo underwent an operation earlier this month to treat his lung cancer. Despite the procedure, he has recovered sufficiently to press forward with a 12-day tour of Argentina, Uruguay and Peru beginning on November 6, three days after U.S. voters go to the polls. Meanwhile, the broader U.S. midterms are widely interpreted as a referendum on Trump's record in office, with current polling suggesting opposition Democrats are on course to win back the majority in the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate. The U.S. goes to the polls on Tuesday, when the full consequences of the midterm elections will begin to unfold.