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

Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election. The Vatican confirmed Friday that the American-born pope submitted a mail-in ballot in his native Chicago ahead of November’s midterm elections, citing his longstanding belief in civic participation.

The pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said.

“The Holy Father 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 statement said. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”

Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which quoted 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.

The pope is recovering from recent surgery for lung cancer and is moving ahead with plans for a trip to South America next month.

The pope’s brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois. He attends Mass there, and Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.

Earlier this month, Leo told a general audience at the Vatican that the faithful should 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 on Sept. 2 in St. Peter’s Square, according to the Catholic News Service. “With Christ and sustained by the power of his Spirit, believers are called to take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination and violence.”

Since 2000, he has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times, according to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The records do not show which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a ballot in a primary, when parties choose their nominees for the general election. No such declaration is required in general elections.

While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, Prevost 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 that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.