Pope Leo XIV becomes first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election, casting mail-in ballot

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 expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” the Vatican said in a statement.

The Chicago Sun-Times first reported Leo’s vote, quoting the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office, who said the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3. This was just days before his recent lung cancer surgery.

The pope has been recovering and resuming his activities at the Vatican after being released from the hospital Oct. 17 and is moving ahead with plans for a trip to South America next month.

Last 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.”

The pope has a long history of civic engagement in the U.S., the Vatican said, confirming that during his nearly two decades as a missionary then bishop in Peru, Leo voted whenever he was eligible. He holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship.

According to records from the Illinois State Board of Elections, the pope, as Robert Prevost, was registered to vote in Cook County. The Associated Press reports he previously voted in five primary elections since 2000 — on the Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2019 and Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Illinois has closed primaries, which means voters must declare a party preference to receive a ballot. No such declaration is required in general elections.

The pope submitted ballots in every general election since 2000, except in 2020 and 2022, the AP reported, citing Illinois election records.