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

Pope Leo XIV has submitted a mail-in ballot for the US midterm elections, becoming the first pope to vote in a US election and likely the first to cast a ballot in a secular democratic election.

The Vatican said Friday that the first American pope had submitted his ballot in Chicago. The statement said Leo XIV believes citizens have both a right and a duty to participate in democratic processes, CNN reported.

Michael Walsh, a British historian and author of several books on the papacy, said Leo XIV would be the first pope to vote in a democratic, secular election. “I don’t think popes have ever voted in a democratic election before,” he told CNN.

Leo XIV, who remains a US citizen, is registered to vote in New Lenox, a Chicago suburb where his brother John lives, records show. Born in Chicago, he has voted in both Republican and Democratic primaries in recent years, as well as in the 2024 presidential election.

Since becoming pope in May 2025, Leo XIV has encouraged civic involvement and urged people to make their voices heard about the US-Israel war against Iran.

The pope has clashed with President Donald Trump’s administration over the war in Iran and its immigration crackdown. Earlier this year, Trump launched an unprecedented series of attacks on Leo XIV, but has been less critical of him lately and has often spoken about the pope’s eldest brother, Louis, being a Trump supporter.

CNN said it had asked the Will County Clerk’s Office for comment. Lauren Sharman contributed to the report.