Pope Leo XIV becomes first pope to vote in US election

Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a US election. On Friday, Oct. 30, the Vatican confirmed that the Chicago-born pontiff had sent in a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. The Holy See Press Office said Leo "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," and that "in keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago," Vatican News reported.vaticannews.va

Leo became the first American pope in May 2025, and he is the first pontiff to take part in an American election, according to NBC News.nbcnews.com

Vatican Statement

The press office said the pope also voted whenever he was eligible during his years living in Peru. "The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the statement said, according to Vatican News. It did not say which candidates he chose.vaticannews.va

The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the ballot request. Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff at the Will County Clerk's Office, confirmed to NBC News that Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, asked for the ballot Oct. 3 and is registered at an address in New Lenox. On Thursday, the clerk's office said it had not yet received his completed ballot, which would be sent to Joliet, Illinois.nbcnews.com

A Record of Voting

Illinois election records show Leo requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010 while living in Cook County, and Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016 after moving to Will County, CBS News reported. Illinois voters must pick a party to get a primary ballot, but the records do not show which candidates they supported.cbsnews.com

His ballot this year includes the open US Senate seat left by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin, with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton as the Democratic nominee. It also includes Gov. JB Pritzker's bid for a third term, according to NBC News. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are up for election, along with 36 governor's races, Vatican News noted.vaticannews.va+1

Political Backdrop

The vote comes after months of friction with the White House. Leo has criticized the US war against Iran and the Trump administration's treatment of immigrants. In April, President Donald Trump called him "WEAK on crime" and said, "I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo," NBC News reported. Leo replied that he had "no fear of the Trump administration."nbcnews.com

The pope, who is recovering from recent lung cancer surgery, urged the faithful at a Sept. 2 audience to leave behind "all passivity and indifference" toward current events. "We cannot remain as unengaged spectators," he said, according to CBS News.cbsnews.com