Pope Leo XIV becomes first pontiff to vote in a US election

Pope Leo XIV has submitted his mail-in ballot in Illinois, for the midterm elections, becoming the first-ever pope to vote in a US election.

"The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

The Chicago-born pontiff is the first US citizen to hold the Vatican's highest seat, after his selection in May 2025.

Since then, he has clashed with the Trump administration over various issues, including immigration enforcement and the US-Israel war with Iran.

"Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," the press office said, including during his years in Peru.

The US midterm elections will determine which political party controls Congress and have a significant impact on the final years of Donald Trump's presidency.

Elections will be held nationwide on 3 November, but early voting has begun in most states.

According to NBC News, the Pope requested his mail-in ballot from the Will County Clerk's Office on 3 October.

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