Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff to vote in a US general election after submitting a mail-in ballot in Chicago, the city of his birth.
The Vatican confirmed that the Pope, formerly known as Robert Prevost, cast his ballot ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. It said he had exercised his rights as a US citizen “whenever he was eligible to do so”.
The Vatican press office said Leo believed in “the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes”. It did not disclose which candidates he supported.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops said the Pope’s participation should encourage Catholics to place “our faith before our politics” and uphold “human dignity and the common good”.
Chieko Noguchi, the conference’s director of public affairs, said: “In voting, our Holy Father sets the example that encourages each citizen to exercise their civic responsibility.”
Pope Leo XIV’s voting record
Leo holds US and Peruvian citizenship, as well as citizenship of the Vatican, where he is head of state. He lived in Peru for more than 20 years as a priest and bishop.
US federal law permits citizens living abroad, including those working for foreign governments, to vote by absentee ballot. The State Department says it may “actively review” the citizenship status of Americans who serve as a foreign head of state, head of government or foreign minister.
Leo requested his ballot on October 3, ten days before undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung. He was discharged from hospital on October 17 and has been gradually resuming his activities at the Vatican.
Records from the Illinois State Board of Elections show that, since 2000, he voted in five primary elections as Robert Prevost. He requested Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010, then Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
Illinois voters must declare a party preference when requesting a primary ballot. Prevost was registered in Democratic-leaning Cook County before moving to the more conservative Will County.
In the midterm elections, Illinois voters will choose a successor to retiring Senator Dick Durbin and decide whether to re-elect Governor JB Pritzker.
Clashes with Donald Trump
Leo’s vote comes amid repeated clashes with US President Donald Trump since the pontiff’s election in May 2025.
Trump has criticised Leo over his condemnation of the US-Israel war on Iran and his opposition to the administration’s crackdown on immigrants. Earlier this year, he called the Pope “weak” and captive to the “radical left”.
Leo later said: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”
