Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, has cast a mail-in ballot in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. The Vatican press office announced on Friday that the Pope exercised his right as a U.S. citizen by submitting his ballot in his native Chicago. This marks the first known time a pope has voted in a political election.
The midterm elections, scheduled for November 3, will determine the composition of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term in office.
Formerly known as Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV has a history of political participation. Records indicate he has participated in five primaries, requesting ballots from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Additionally, he has submitted ballots in every general election since 2000, with the exception of those in 2020 and 2022.