Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope in history to vote in a United States general election, after the Vatican confirmed on Friday that he had submitted a mail-in ballot for next week’s midterm elections.
Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. The US midterms will be held on Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
Vatican: Voting Is a “Right and Duty”
In a statement, the Holy See Press Office said: “Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so.” It added: “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”
Vatican News described voting as a long-standing habit for the pope, who continued to take part in US elections even during his many years living and working as a missionary in Peru.
Registered in Illinois
The vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. According to the newspaper, an official at the Will County clerk’s office said the pope is registered to vote at an address in New Lenox, Illinois, a suburb south of Chicago, and requested his mail-in ballot on 3 October. It is not clear how the completed ballot was returned.
The Vatican did not say who the pope voted for, and Illinois election records do not show voters’ choices. Illinois voters are deciding, among other races, whether to give Governor JB Pritzker a third term and who will fill the US Senate seat left open by the retirement of Dick Durbin.
A Varied Voting Record
Illinois State Board of Elections records, reported by the Associated Press, show the pope has voted in five primary elections since 2000. He took Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010 while registered in Cook County, and Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016 after moving to Will County. He has submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except 2020 and 2022.
Ballot Came Before Cancer Surgery
The pope requested his ballot just 10 days before undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung. He left hospital on 17 October and has been gradually resuming his public duties, the AP reported.
Outspoken on Iran War and Immigration
Since his election as pope in May 2025, Leo has spoken out against the US-Israeli war in Iran and called for immigrants to be treated with dignity, drawing criticism from President Donald Trump. “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel,” the pope told reporters at the time, though the public dispute has since cooled.
Why It Matters
Popes have traditionally stayed out of national elections, and none before Leo has been a US citizen with the right to vote there. His decision to cast a ballot, while keeping his choices private, sends a message to Catholics worldwide, including millions in Nigeria and across Africa, about the importance of taking part in elections.
Sources: Vatican News, Associated Press via ABC News, CNN, Chicago Sun-Times, Channels Television. Image: Wikimedia Commons (file photo).