Pope Leo has submitted a mail-in ballot in the US midterm elections scheduled for 3 November, making him the first sitting pope known to have voted in any political election. Leo, born Robert Prevost and the first American to lead the Catholic Church following Pope Francis’s death last year, registered to vote at an address in New Lenox, Illinois on 3 October. The Vatican stated that the pontiff exercised his rights as a United States citizen and emphasized his belief in the importance of citizens participating in democratic processes.
Leo requested his mail-in ballot approximately 10 days before undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. He was discharged from the hospital on 17 October and has since gradually resumed his duties. The pontiff cast his vote from Chicago, his birthplace, though the Vatican noted he had previously lived and served as a missionary in Peru.
The pope and President Donald Trump have experienced significant tensions over multiple policy matters. Leo has criticized Trump’s immigration policies as inhuman and objected to the US-Israeli military campaign regarding Iran, prompting Trump to respond by questioning Leo’s credentials on crime and foreign policy. Trump also claimed Leo’s papal election resulted from Trump’s own presence in the White House. Leo subsequently stated he was unafraid of the president.
In recent public appearances and interviews, Leo has advocated for American values including freedom, opportunity, and welcoming immigrants. He praised the nation’s founding principles while implicitly challenging current policies. Church officials have indicated that a papal visit to the United States may be planned for 2027 or later, with the midterm election results potentially influencing the timing of such a trip. Leo is scheduled to undertake an 11-day trip to Latin America in November, visiting 10 cities.
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