Pope Leo XIV submits first general election ballot as US citizen

Vatican officials confirmed Friday that Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot in Chicago.

This marks the first time a sitting pontiff has voted in a United States general election. The Holy See stated that Leo, formerly known as Robert Prevost, exercised his civic rights as a US citizen. A Vatican press office spokesperson noted that the pope has voted whenever eligible and believes in the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.

The Vatican did not disclose which candidates Leo supported. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement urging Catholics to prioritize faith over politics and uphold human dignity. Chieko Noguchi, the conference’s director of public affairs, said the pope’s action encourages other citizens to exercise their civic responsibilities.

Leo holds citizenship in the US, Peru, and the Vatican. Federal law permits citizens living abroad to vote by absentee ballot. The US State Department notes that Americans serving as foreign heads of state may face a review of their citizenship status, though they do not automatically lose it.

Illinois voters will choose a successor to Senator Dick Durbin and decide on Governor JB Pritzker’s re-election. Leo requested his mail-in ballot on October 3. He underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung on October 13. He was released from the hospital on October 17 and has slowly resumed activities at the Vatican.

Election records from the Illinois State Board of Elections show Leo voted in five primary elections since 2000. He requested Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010 while residing in Cook County. He requested Republican ballots in 2012, 2014, and 2016 after moving to Will County. The records do not indicate which candidates he selected.

President Donald Trump has clashed with Leo since the pope’s ascent to the papacy in May 2025. Trump criticized the pope for condemning the US-Israel war on Iran and challenging the administration’s immigration crackdown. Trump called Leo weak and captive to the radical left. Leo told reporters he is not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the Gospel message.