Wire reporting: (AP, via Block Club Chicago), (AFP, via IOL)

The Vatican said Friday that Pope Leo XIV, the Chicago-born U.S. citizen elected in May 2025, submitted a mail-in ballot in Illinois for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which outlets described as the first time a pope has voted in a U.S. general election^1,2,5,10.

The Holy See press office said Leo had exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen whenever he was eligible, and that he mailed the ballot to Chicago in keeping with that practice^1,13.

The Vatican did not say which candidates he supported^1,7,8.

Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff at the Will County clerk's office, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Robert Francis Prevost, Leo's given name, was on the list of people who requested a mail ballot, with a registered address in New Lenox; CBS News said the same office confirmed he is on that request list^2,13.

The Sun-Times said the request was dated Oct. 3, days before Leo had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung; he was released from hospital on Oct. 17^2,7,13. How the completed ballot was returned is not established in the reporting⁵.

Illinois officials said overseas U.S. citizens may vote by mail under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act^7,13. Al Jazeera noted that the State Department says it may review the citizenship status of Americans who serve as a foreign head of state, without reporting any such review in this case⁷.

The Vatican said Leo also voted during years in Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop and holds citizenship, whenever he was eligible^1,8,10.

Illinois State Board of Elections records, as reported by several outlets, show that as Prevost he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and that he missed the 2020 and 2022 general elections^2,7,8. CBS News, citing AP, reported Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2019; Al Jazeera reported Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2010^2,7. Those records do not show which candidates he chose; Illinois requires a party declaration only for primaries^2,7.

Chieko Noguchi of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said the pope's vote sets an example that encourages citizens to exercise civic responsibility⁷. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker posted that if the pope can vote from Vatican City, others can too¹³.

Several accounts noted earlier public disagreements between Leo and President Donald Trump over immigration policy and the war involving Iran; the Vatican statement on the ballot did not address those disputes^8,10.

Leo, 71, is scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru beginning Nov. 6, according to Vatican-related reporting^1,10.