Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff in history to vote in a United States election after submitting a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The Vatican confirmed on Friday, October 30, that the Chicago-born Pope had exercised his voting rights as a US citizen, describing participation in democratic processes as both a right and a duty.
In a statement, the Holy See Press Office said the Pope had submitted his ballot by mail to Chicago, where he remains a registered voter.
“Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” the statement said.
The Vatican also confirmed that he voted during his years of residence in Peru whenever he was eligible.
The development followed an earlier report by the Chicago Sun-Times that the Pope had requested a mail-in ballot through the Will County Clerk’s Office on October 3.
The Pope, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, is registered at an address in New Lenox, Illinois.
According to records from the Illinois State Board of Elections, Prevost has participated in several US elections, including presidential and primary elections.
The records show that he requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010, and Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016. However, they do not reveal which candidates he supported.
The November 3 midterm elections will determine all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, alongside 35 seats in the Senate, as voters also elect governors and other state and local officials.
Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, has remained a US citizen since his election as pontiff in May 2025.
His participation marks an unprecedented moment in the history of the papacy, with the Vatican reaffirming his belief in citizens’ responsibility to take part in democratic processes.