Pope Leo XIV has made history as the first pontiff to participate in a U.S. election. The Vatican confirmed that the American-born pope submitted a mail-in ballot in his hometown of Chicago, ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections. This action reflects his enduring belief in civic engagement.
Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV consistently exercises his voting rights as a U.S. citizen whenever eligible, according to a statement from the Holy See press office. During his time residing in Peru, he also took part in elections when he qualified as a voter. The Vatican emphasized his belief in the fundamental right and duty of citizens to engage in democratic processes.
Pope Leo XIV was reported to have voted by the Chicago Sun-Times, which cited information from the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office. The pope, registered at an address in New Lenox, had requested his mail-in ballot on October 3.
Currently recovering from surgery for lung cancer, Pope Leo XIV is planning a trip to South America next month. During this period, his brother John Prevost visited Rome with parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian parish in New Lenox, Illinois. The pope delivered a speech at the parish in 2024 while he was still a cardinal.
At a general audience earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV urged the faithful to abandon indifference and passive attitudes towards current events. On September 2, he addressed the audience in St. Peter’s Square, urging believers to actively listen and become involved in societal issues. He highlighted the importance of addressing injustices, discrimination, and violence and emphasized the role of believers to support those bearing such burdens.
Since the year 2000, Pope Leo XIV has participated in five primary elections, choosing Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots thrice, based on Illinois State Board of Elections records. The records do not disclose which candidates he backed. In Illinois, voters declare a party preference for primary elections, where parties nominate candidates for the general election, whereas no such preference is required in general elections.
While previously registered in predominantly Democratic Cook County, Pope Leo XIV requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After relocating to the more conservative Will County suburbs, he chose Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014, and 2016. The records affirm he cast ballots in every general election since 2000 except for those in 2020 and 2022.