Pope Leo XIV has made history by becoming the first sitting pontiff known to vote in a United States general election after casting a mail-in ballot ahead of next week’s midterm elections.
The Vatican confirmed on Friday that the Chicago-born Pope had exercised his voting rights as an American citizen, submitting his ballot in Chicago ahead of the November 3 elections.
In a statement, the Holy See Press Office said the Pope believed that participating in democratic processes was both a right and a duty.
Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, remains a US citizen and is registered to vote in New Lenox, Illinois. His position as head of the Vatican does not automatically remove his American citizenship or his right to participate in elections.
The Vatican has not disclosed which candidates or political positions the Pope supported.
His vote comes amid public disagreements with US President Donald Trump over issues including immigration and the war in Iran.
Trump is campaigning to maintain Republican control of Congress, although he is not personally on the ballot in the midterm elections.
The Pope’s voting history also shows that he has participated in both Democratic and Republican primary elections. Records indicate that he requested Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010, followed by Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
However, these records do not reveal which candidates he supported, and selecting a party’s ballot in an Illinois primary does not establish formal party affiliation.
The Vatican also confirmed that Leo participated in elections while living in Peru, where he spent several years serving as a priest and bishop.
The November 3 midterm elections will determine all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives, alongside 35 Senate seats and several state governorships.