Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America’s future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.
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era → become → end
The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff had submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.
Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and has done so “whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said.
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office → confirm → citizen
The statement said he had also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible.
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he → say → Peru
Leo lived in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop for over 20 years.
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Leo → live → years
“The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” it added.
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it → express → processes
Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship, and is also the head of state of a foreign country, the Holy See.
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Leo → hold → country
This election, Illinois voters are deciding whether to elect Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to his third term, and they’re also filling an open U.S. Senate seat after longtime Catholic Democrat Dick Durbin’s retirement.
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they → decide → retirement
President Donald Trump is not on the ballot but he has campaigned hard to try to preserve Republican control of the U.S. House and Senate for the final two years of his second term.
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he → campaign → term
Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which quoted the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office as saying the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3.
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pope → report → Oct.
The request was made just 10 days before Leo underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
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Leo → make → lung
Leo has been slowly resuming his activities at the Vatican after being released from the hospital Oct. 17.
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Leo → resume → hospital
It is unclear how Leo returned the ballot.
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Leo → return → ballot
The pope’s older brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois.
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brother → accompany → Lenox
The elder Prevost attends Mass there, and Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.
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Leo → attend → 2024
Prevost’s past votes have gone Democratic and Republican
Since 2000, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times, according to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections.
The records do not show which candidates he supported.
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he → go → candidates
Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot.
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voters → declare → ballot
No such declaration is required in general elections.
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declaration → require → elections
While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010.
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Prevost → register → 2008
After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
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he → move → 2012
The records also show that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.
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he → show → 2020
Clashes with Trump
Since becoming pope, Leo has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and calling for dignified treatment of immigrants.
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Leo → become → immigrants
Responding to Trump’s public rebuke, Leo told reporters en route to Algeria in April: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”
“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.
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he → respond → problems
The public dispute has subsided in recent months.
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dispute → subside → months
A pope who follows U.S. politics closely
Leo has made clear on several occasions that he follows local and national U.S. politics closely, and is not afraid to intervene.
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follows → follow → politics
He has repeatedly called for reflection and humane treatment for immigrants in his native U.S. amid the Trump administration crackdown and mass deportation program.
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He → call → crackdown
Recently, Leo reiterated official church teaching declaring the death penalty “inadmissible.”
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penalty → reiterate → teaching
He made the pronouncement in a social media post on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, which came as the U.S. announced plans to livestream an execution by firing squad.
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U.S. → make → squad
The plans were later scrapped.
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plans → scrap → ?
In 2025, Leo intervened in a debate over abortion, after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced plans to give a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Durbin.
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Cupich → intervene → Durbin
The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights.
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plans → draw → rights
Leo called for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the contradiction between people who call themselves “pro-life” but also support the death penalty.
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who → call → penalty
Also in 2025, Leo said he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted dying, which is condemned by the Catholic Church.
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which → say → Church
AP editor Holly Meyer contributed from Nashville, Tenn.
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Meyer → contribute → Nashville
The Aporia
