Pope Leo XIV Votes by Mail in Historic US Midterm Participation

Pope Leo XIV has voted by mail in the United States midterm elections, becoming the first pope to participate in a US general election, the Vatican has confirmed. The 71-year-old pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, submitted his ballot in Illinois ahead of the November vote. The Holy See’s press office said Leo had “exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and had done so whenever he was eligible.

Records cited by DW show that Prevost voted in every general election from 2000 onwards except those in 2020 and 2022, and also participated in five primary elections. The Vatican did not say which candidates or party the pope supported. Leo requested his ballot from the Will County Clerk’s Office on October 3, according to US media reports.

The elections will determine control of Congress, with every House seat and about one-third of Senate seats being contested. Leo is the first US citizen to hold the Vatican’s highest office, having been chosen as pope in May 2025. He also holds Peruvian citizenship and, according to the Vatican, voted when eligible during his years living in Peru.

A Vatican spokesperson said the pope believes citizens have both a right and a duty to participate in democratic processes. His vote comes as the midterms carry significant consequences for President Donald Trump’s final years in office. Republicans are defending narrow majorities in both chambers, while Democrats are seeking control of the House and making gains in the Senate.

Early voting has already begun in many states, and voting nationwide is scheduled for November 3. In Illinois, voters are choosing whether Democratic Governor JB Pritzker should serve a third term and are filling an open Senate seat following the retirement of longtime Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. Polling cited by the BBC suggested Democrats were favoured to gain control of the House and had opportunities to win Senate seats in areas that supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Leo’s participation also highlights his unusual political relationship with the US president. The pope has criticised Trump’s positions on migration, press freedom and war, including the conflict involving Iran. He declined an invitation to US 250th anniversary celebrations, and Trump has attacked him personally, describing him as weak and aligned with the radical left.

The two men have not met in person. After the pope called for peace following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump questioned his performance and said he was not a fan of Leo. The pope has responded by saying the Church’s mission is to preach the Gospel and peace, and that he would continue advocating dialogue and multilateral solutions.

The Vatican confirmed that Leo’s planned early-November visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru remains scheduled, despite his recent lung-cancer surgery.