Pope votes in U.S. election

Pope Leo XIV Votes in U.S. Midterm Election

Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot from Chicago for the 2026 Illinois midterm elections, marking the first time a pontiff has voted in a U.S. election.

Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, voted via mail-in ballot in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections. He has a history of voting in U.S. elections and previously in Peru, participating in local primaries.

CBS News: Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election
ABC News: Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope in history to vote in a US election
Fox News: Pope Leo makes history in US election with move confirmed by Vatican
Axios: Pope Leo XIV becomes first pope to vote in U.S. election
NBC News: Pope Leo casts absentee ballot in Illinois to vote in the midterms
CBS News: Pope Leo becomes the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election
PBS NewsHour: Leo XIV has become the first pope in history to vote in a U.S. general election