Pope Leo XIV has taken the historic step of requesting a mail ballot for Illinois’ midterm election on November 3. If he votes, he would be the first pope to participate in a secular election while serving as pontiff.
The Will County Clerk’s Office made it known that the pope, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, requested a mail-in ballot on October 3. Despite his current role leading the Catholic Church from Vatican City, he remains a registered voter at an address in New Lenox, Illinois. It is currently unclear if he has returned the ballot.
“Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election,” stated Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff at the Will County Clerk’s Office, in a report to the Chicago Sun-Times.
More than 20 million people across the U.S., including 1.16 million in Illinois, have already voted early. Illinois law permits registered voters to vote by mail, a provision that extends to those residing abroad.
Pope’s Ballot Contents
On Pope Leo’s ballot could be the Illinois U.S. Senate race to fill Senator Dick Durbin’s seat, the reelection race for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and other contests in Will County.
Public records, as referenced by the Sun-Times, indicate that Leo has voted in both Republican and Democratic primaries in Illinois. His participation includes Democratic primaries in 2008 and 2010, and Republican primaries from 2012 to 2016. Illinois does not mandate party registration for voters. His voting history also includes several general elections, with the last being in 2024. This election marks his first significant political engagement since becoming pope last year.
Tensions with President Trump
As the first American-born pope, Leo has had disagreements with President Donald Trump and some Republican leaders, especially on immigration issues and international policy concerning Iran. Although the Vatican traditionally avoids involvement in U.S. politics, tensions have surfaced.
In April, Trump criticized Pope Leo, labeling him as “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” In response, the pope expressed having “no fear” concerning Trump’s administration. Leo has consistently criticized the Middle East conflict, cautioning against a “delusion of omnipotence” and condemning “absurd and inhuman violence.”
Pope Leo’s Health
The pope managed to request his mail ballot shortly before undergoing surgery for lung cancer earlier this month. A portion of his lung was surgically removed, but further treatment is unnecessary. Final tests after the surgery confirmed the cancer was confined to a localized lung adenocarcinoma.
According to Dr. Luigi Carbone, his personal physician, and Dr. Stefano Margaritora, his surgeon, results from the surgery showed no need for further treatment. Their statement indicated, “The final histological examinations and molecular biology tests on the material removed during the Holy Father’s surgery confirmed that the tumor was a localized lung adenocarcinoma. A subsequent oncological evaluation confirmed that no further treatment is necessary.”