For the first time in history, a reigning pontiff has cast a ballot in a democratic election. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, participated in the United States midterm elections by mailing an absentee ballot ahead of schedule to the election office in Illinois, where he remains officially registered to vote.
The development breaks with a tradition that casts the visible head of the Catholic Church as a figure entirely removed from electoral politics. The news broke locally through the Chicago Sun Times before the Holy See’s press office confirmed it, noting that Prevost maintains a longstanding tradition of civic engagement.
An American Citizen in the Vatican
Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV did not relinquish his United States citizenship following his election to the papacy. Under Illinois state election laws, any registered U.S. citizen maintains the right to vote by mail, even while residing abroad.
Prevost holds multiple citizenships. In addition to his American passport, he acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015 upon becoming the bishop of Chiclayo—a requirement under the 1980 concordat between the Vatican and Peru. He also possesses Vatican citizenship, which was granted upon his appointment to the Roman Curia in 2023 as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
While previous popes have kept the passports of their birth countries—John Paul II remained a Polish citizen, Benedict XVI retained German citizenship until his death in 2022, and Pope Francis kept his irrevocable Argentine citizenship—none had previously participated in the elections that took place in their country of origin.
A Track Record at the Ballot Box
Public voting records in Illinois reveal that Prevost has a documented history of participating in U.S. elections from afar. Records cited by the New York Times and the Associated Press show he participated in Democratic primaries in 2008 and 2010 while residing in Rome as prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine. He subsequently participated in Republican primaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016, alongside general elections in 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2024.
The Holy See press office confirmed that Leo XIV exercises his right to vote as a U.S. citizen whenever eligible. In Illinois, a state of democratic tradition, the midterm cycle features contests for both the U.S. Senate and the governorship.
Diplomatic Ripples and Political Fallout
Inside MAGA political circles, the pope’s participation is likely to draw criticism as a foreign intrusion. Church doctrine generally places the hierarchy above partisan politics to safeguard the universal moral authority of the papacy.
The action bridges two distinct identities: a private citizen fulfilling a civic duty in Illinois, and a global moral leader urging the faithful to take active responsibility in the political life of their societies.
