Pope Leo XIV becomes first pontiff to vote in a US election

Pope Leo XIV has cast a mail-in ballot in Illinois for the US midterm elections, making him the first pope known to vote in a US election. The Chicago-born pontiff’s vote highlights his continued participation as a US citizen and comes amid public disagreements with President Donald Trump over issues including immigration and the conflict involving the US and Israel in Iran.

The Holy See said Leo has voted whenever eligible, including during his years in Peru. He requested his ballot from the Will County Clerk’s Office on 3 October; the nationwide election is on 3 November, and its outcome will determine control of Congress during the final years of Trump’s presidency. The 71-year-old Pope is also due to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in early November, following surgery to remove part of his right lung after a lung cancer diagnosis.