In the U.S. midterm elections, Pope Leo XIV has cast his ballot. The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church submitted a mail-in ballot in Illinois. A sitting pope voting in a U.S. general election is a first due to this. The Vatican confirmed the vote on Friday. He requested the ballot on October 3, just before surgery. His birth name is Robert Francis Prevost. He was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955.
Online records show he is registered to vote at his brother’s home. His older brother, John, lives in suburban New Lenox. Leo remains a registered voter in Illinois despite his role as head of a foreign state.The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 enables voting by Americans abroad. This law requires states to let overseas voters use absentee procedures. It also says they must vote for offices in their last U.S. home.
The Holy See Press Office released a statement on Friday. “Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” the office said. They confirmed he submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago. The statement noted he also voted while living in Peru. For more than 20 years, he worked there as a missionary priest and bishop. Citizens have a right and duty to join democratic processes, the press office stated he believes.
Kim Fladhammer works as chief of staff for the Will County clerk’s office. She told the Chicago Sun-Times that the request came in on October 3. “Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election,” Fladhammer said. She did not say if the ballot was returned yet. Records show he has voted in five primary elections since 2000. Twice he asked for Democratic ballots, while Republican ballots were requested three times. Illinois law does not require voters to state their party.
The timing of the request was close to a major health event. Ten days prior to surgery for a cancerous tumor in his right lung, Leo asked for his ballot. He was released from the hospital on October 17. Last week, doctors confirmed the cancer had not spread. No further treatment is needed. The Vatican said he is slowly resuming his public duties at the Vatican. His brother John was in Rome this week with parishioners from St. Jude’s.
It remains unclear exactly how the ballot traveled from the Vatican. Some reports say he mailed it from Chicago. Others note he lives in Rome, which is 4,800 miles away. The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops praised his actions. Spokesperson Chieko Noguchi stated that in voting, our Holy Father sets an example encouraging every citizen to exercise civic responsibility. This follows a long history of his participation in local elections.
Vatican City has been an independent state since 1929. Without political elections, it operates as an absolute monarchy. Unlike other nations, Vatican citizenship is granted by application. Only the pope holds this privilege for life. Leo also holds American and Peruvian citizenship. At the UCLA School of Law, Richard Hasen acts as an expert on voting rights. He explained the legal standing clearly. “He’s an American citizen living abroad.” Hasen noted that moving to the Vatican did not cause him to lose his voting rights.
Before becoming pope, Prevost voted in several Democratic and Republican primaries. In 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2024, he cast votes in general elections. He has never disclosed who he voted for in those races. Illinois does not register party affiliation for absentee voters. The law allows anyone to vote by mail if they choose. This rule applies even if the voter is not currently in the state. The story broke first through reports from the Chicago Sun-Times and was widely covered by outlets like Fox News and ABC News.
