Pope Leo XIV casts vote in US midterm elections via mail-in ballot

Pope Leo XIV has requested to cast his vote by mail in the upcoming United States midterm elections. As a resident of Chicago, Illinois, the Pope is participating in the electoral process, making him the first pontiff to vote in legislative elections while holding office. According to reports from the Chicago Sun-Times, the formal request was submitted on October 3. The ballot was delivered to his Chicago residence and subsequently handed to him by his brother, John Prevost, during a visit to the Vatican last week.

This is not an isolated event, as the North American-born pontiff has consistently voted in US elections since 2012, including presidential cycles and primary contests for both Republican and Democratic candidates. The Holy See’s press office noted that the Pope holds American, Peruvian, and Vatican citizenship, and believes that voting is a fundamental civic duty. While no previous pope is known to have exercised the right to vote outside of the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV stated he also voted during his time in Peru. The Vatican emphasized that the pontiff views participation in democratic processes as an essential obligation for citizens.