Pope Leo XIV becomes first sitting pope to vote in US general election

The development is particularly notable given Leo's position as the leader of the Catholic Church. While popes have historically stayed away from electoral politics, the Vatican's confirmation highlights that the pontiff has not abandoned his civic responsibilities as an American citizen.Despite living thousands of miles away from his home state, Leo has continued to participate in American elections. (File Photo: Reuters)Pope Leo XIV has added another historic first to his papacy, becoming the first sitting pontiff to cast a vote in a US general election. The Chicago-born head of the Catholic Church exercised his voting rights through a mail-in ballot ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, the Vatican confirmed on Friday.Despite living thousands of miles away from his home state, Leo has continued to participate in American elections. The Holy See press office confirmed that Leo, formerly known as 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 Vatican also revealed that he had voted during his years in Peru, where he spent more than two decades serving as a missionary priest and bishop. "The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the statement added.The development is particularly notable given Leo's position as the leader of the Catholic Church. While popes have historically stayed away from electoral politics, the Vatican's confirmation highlights that the pontiff has not abandoned his civic responsibilities as an American citizen. The pope's participation in the election was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which cited the chief of staff at the Will County clerk's office. According to the newspaper, Leo, who is registered at an address in New Lenox, Illinois, requested a mail-in ballot on October 3. The arrangement allowed him to vote without having to travel back to the United States.The timing of the request is also noteworthy. It came just 10 days before the pontiff underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his right lung. Leo was discharged from hospital on October 17 and has gradually resumed his public engagements at the Vatican as he recovers.It remains unclear how the completed ballot was returned to election officials. His elder brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St Jude's, an Augustinian-run church in New Lenox. However, there has been no confirmation that he was involved in returning the pope's ballot.John attends the Illinois parish, where Leo delivered a talk in 2024 while he was still a cardinal. The connection offers another glimpse into the pontiff's continued ties with the community where he lived before his elevation to the papacy.The Vatican's announcement has also drawn attention to Prevost's electoral history, which shows that he has participated in American politics for decades.Records maintained by the Illinois State Board of Elections show that he voted in five primary elections between 2000 and 2016. On two occasions, he requested Democratic ballots, while on three others, he opted for Republican ballots.The records do not reveal which candidates he supported or how he voted in individual contests.Illinois requires voters to declare a party preference when requesting a ballot in primary elections. However, voters are free to choose candidates from either party in general elections without making such a declaration.Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010, when he was registered in Cook County, which includes Chicago and is heavily Democratic.After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, his choices changed. He requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.The records further show that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000, apart from the 2020 and 2022 contests.While history does not establish his political leanings, it illustrates that his participation in elections predates his election as pope. His latest ballot is another instance of the American citizen continuing to exercise a right that he has held throughout his life.POPE LEO'S PUBLIC CLASH WITH TRUMPLeo's historic participation in the midterms comes against the backdrop of his increasingly public differences with US President Donald Trump.Since becoming pope, the Chicago-born pontiff has repeatedly criticised the US-Israeli war in Iran and called for migrants to be treated with dignity. His positions have drawn sharp reactions from Trump, who earlier this year described him as "weak" and accused him of being captive to the "radical left".The president's criticism prompted an unusually direct response from the Vatican leader, who made clear that he would continue speaking out on issues he believes are central to the Church's teachings.Speaking to reporters while travelling to Algeria, Leo said: "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."He also reiterated his opposition to war and called for countries to pursue diplomatic solutions rather than military confrontation."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.The exchange marked an unusual public disagreement between an American president and an American-born pope, particularly over issues involving war, immigration and international relations.The dispute has since subsided, although their differences over these subjects remain.- Ends