Pope Leo Casts Mail Ballot in Chicago Midterm Cycle
Vatican confirms the U.S. citizen pope submitted his vote for the Oct. 3 election, a move that includes contests for the U.S. Senate and the governorship.
By Thomas Bennett ·
The Vatican confirmed on Friday that Pope Leo XIV has cast a mail ballot for the U.S. midterm elections. The statement asserts that the pontiff has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen whenever eligible, a practice the Holy See describes as a long-standing form of civic participation.
The confirmation addresses the voting record of Robert Francis Prevost, who was born in Chicago. The Vatican said the pope believes in the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes. This includes his time living in Peru, where he also voted. The current ballot covers the election held on Oct. 3.
Records from the Will County clerk’s office show Prevost has voted in Illinois elections for over a decade. He participated in the 2012, 2014, and 2016 Republican primaries. He also voted in the general elections for 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2024. His voting history includes Democratic primaries in 2008 and 2010. He did not vote in Illinois’ March primary, though state law allows voters to switch party affiliations for primary ballots.
Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff for the Will County clerk’s office, confirmed that Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a mail ballot for the upcoming election. The Illinois State Board of Elections noted that registered voters and U.S. citizens overseas can vote by mail under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, or UOCAVA.
The pope’s vote is now part of the tally for several high-profile races. These include the U.S. Senate contest to replace Sen. Dick Durbin and the reelection bid for Gov. JB Pritzker. The ballot also covers Will County judicial and county races. Pritzker acknowledged the pope’s participation on social media on Thursday. He wrote, “If the Pope can vote all the way from Vatican City, you can too!”
The Vatican’s statement was released on Friday. It serves as the official record of the pope’s vote for the Oct. 3 election. The Holy See Press Office issued the confirmation to clarify the pontiff’s status as a registered voter in Illinois.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
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