Pope Leo XIV casts first papal vote in U.S. general election
The Vatican confirmed that the Chicago-born pontiff mailed his ballot in Will County, Illinois, following a pattern of civic participation dating back to 2000.
By Christian Morales ·
Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff to cast a vote in a United States general election. The Vatican announced on Friday that the Chicago-born pope mailed his ballot in the city ahead of the November midterm elections. The Holy See’s press office cited his strong belief in civic duty as the reason for his participation.
The Vatican statement noted that Leo, formerly known as Robert Prevost, exercised his right to vote as a U.S. citizen whenever he was eligible to do so. It further stated that he also voted while residing in Peru during periods when he held the right to participate in that country’s democratic processes.
The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the specific details of the vote. According to the outlet, the head of staff for the Will County clerk’s office confirmed that the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3. It remains unclear how the completed ballot was returned to election officials.
Illinois State Board of Election records show that Prevost participated in five primary elections since 2000. He requested Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010 while registered in Cook County. After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican ballots in the 2012, 2014, and 2016 primaries. The records do not specify which candidates he supported, as Illinois voters must declare party preference only to receive primary ballots.
The election history indicates that Prevost voted in every U.S. general election since 2000, with the exception of the 2020 and 2022 cycles. His brother, John Prevost, visited Rome this week with parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian parish in New Lenox. Leo attended a service at St. Jude’s in 2024 while he was still a cardinal.
The Vatican’s confirmation places the current pontiff’s electoral activity within the public record of American presidential and congressional voting. His participation marks a first in the history of the modern papacy in the United States.
Source: KTAZ
