VATICAN CITY — In a historic intersection of global faith leadership and everyday American civic duty, Pope Leo XIV has officially participated in the U.S. democratic process directly from the Vatican.
The Vatican confirmed that the pontiff, originally born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, submitted a mail-in ballot for the 2026 Illinois midterms. This momentous decision marks a major milestone for the Catholic Church, as he becomes the first sitting pope in history to cast a ballot in a United States election.
Before his elevation to the papacy, the Chicago-born pontiff maintained his active voter registration in the suburb of New Lenox, Illinois. According to the Will County clerk's office, the pope officially requested his absentee ballot in early October under his legal birth name, honoring his long-standing ties to his home state despite his current residence in Vatican City.
This extraordinary civic act highlights a rare blend of religious duty and democratic participation, proving that even holding the highest office in the Catholic Church does not preclude participating in the democratic process back home.
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