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Chicago-Born Pope Leo XIV Casts First US Election Ballot
· Confirmed
In Short: Chicago native Pope Leo XIV has made history by casting a mail-in ballot in the upcoming US midterm elections, becoming the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election.
Chicago native Pope Leo XIV has made history by casting a mail-in ballot in the upcoming US midterm elections, becoming the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election.
The pope, formerly Robert Prevost, is registered as a Will County voter in New Lenox, Illinois, where his brother, John Prevost, resides.
Pope Leo XIV requested a mail-in ballot on October 7, and the Vatican press office confirmed on Friday that he had submitted his ballot.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the pope’s ballot was sent to a New Lenox address, and if a staff member recognizes the pope’s name, they might want to touch it to receive a blessing.
Leo XIV has encouraged active civic engagement among U.S. citizens, stating, “Medicine must never become the servant of programmed death,” and calling for a better kind of politics.
The Holy See Press Office said in a statement that the pope regards participation in democratic processes as both a fundamental right and a civic duty.
Pope Leo XIV has previously voted in the 2024 US presidential election, marking his continued involvement in American democratic affairs.
The Chicago Tribune noted that the pope’s actions underscore his belief in the right and duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.
Michael Walsh, a British historian who has written several books on the papacy, said the development could also make Leo XIV the first pope to vote in a secular democratic election.
Pope Leo XIV’s actions have been widely recognized and praised, with Archbishop John Wester urging the faithful to develop an appreciation for the gift of water amid major ecological challenges in the region.
The pope’s decision to vote in the midterm elections highlights his deep connection to his American roots and his commitment to civic engagement.
Pope Leo XIV’s pilgrimage to the Basilica-Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano on September 7, the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, underscores his devotion to Marian shrines.
What this adds
The Chicago Tribune reports that Pope Leo XIV has been registered as a Will County voter in New Lenox since his election as pope.
The Vatican press office confirmed that the pope’s ballot was submitted on October 7, and the ballot was sent to a New Lenox address.
The Chicago Tribune notes that the pope’s actions underscore his belief in the right and duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.
The Chicago Tribune also reports that the pope’s ballot was sent to a New Lenox address, and if a staff member recognizes the pope’s name, they might want to touch it to receive a blessing.
Background
Chicago Tribune: Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, has cast a mail-in ballot in the US midterm elections, marking the first time a Catholic pope has voted in a U.S. election.
Pope Leo XIV visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido on Sunday, marking his first parish visit in the Diocese of Rome during his pontificate.
What's confirmed
- Chicago native Pope Leo XIV has cast a local mail-in ballot ahead of the November midterms, making history as the first pontiff to vote in a U.S.
- “Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Vatican press office said in a statement.
- He also voted in the 2024 US presidential election.
- "In keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.
What's still developing
- Leo has repeatedly “called for ‘a better kind of politics,’” said White, author of the book “Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy,” published by Loyola Press in Chicago.
- Archbishop Laurent Ulrich said the Mass would be a “historic celebration”.
- In a deeply emotional moment, Cardinal Ernest Simoni—often called a “living martyr of communism”—presented Pope Leo XIV with a relic of Albanian martyrs who suffered persecution under a brutal regime.
- Pope Leo XIV called on France to defend human dignity, promote peace and protect the common good as he began his four-day apostolic journey to the country on September 25.
- Pope Leo XIV issued the decree granting Sheen the title of Blessed, while Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, serving as the Pope’s legate and principal celebrant, read the apostolic letter during the beatification Mass.
- “May Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace,” he said, speaking in front of a giant globe.