Pope Leo XIV Casts First Papal Vote in US General Election

Pope Leo XIV has cast the first vote by a sitting pope in a United States general election.

The Vatican announced Friday that the pontiff mailed his ballot from Chicago before the November midterms. The Holy See press office stated that Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen. The statement noted he has voted whenever eligible, a practice he also maintained while residing in Peru. Officials described his action as an expression of the duty for citizens to participate in democratic processes.

Chicago Sun-Times reporters first identified the vote by checking records from the Will County clerk’s office. The chief of staff confirmed that Prevost, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on October 3. It remains unclear how the completed ballot was returned to the office. His brother, John Prevost, visited Rome this week with parishioners from St. Jude’s in New Lenox. Leo attended Mass at that Augustinian parish and delivered a talk there in 2024 while serving as a cardinal.

Illinois State Board of Elections records show Prevost voted in five primary elections since 2000. He requested Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010 while registered in Cook County. After moving to Will County, he requested Republican ballots in 2012, 2014, and 2016. The records do not specify which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot, but no such declaration is required for general elections.

The voting history reveals a consistent engagement with the electoral process over two decades. Prevost submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except for the cycles in 2020 and 2022. His shift from Democratic to Republican primary participation aligns with his geographic move from urban Cook County to suburban Will County. The Vatican’s confirmation places this recent act in the context of his long-standing civic participation.