NBC NewsYesterday·3 min read·medium

Pope Leo requested an absentee ballot in Illinois to vote in the midterms - NBC News

Patrick Maguire, Raquel Coronell Uribe

✦AI Summary

Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, has requested an absentee ballot to participate in the U.S. midterm elections from Vatican City. This marks the first time a sitting pope has exercised his right to vote in a U.S. election.

Why it matters

The event highlights the intersection of religious leadership, U.S. citizenship, and political participation in a polarized climate.

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Pope Leo XIV, a registered voter in Illinois, has voted in next week’s midterm elections after he requested a mail ballot at his residence in Vatican City. “Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Vatican press office said Friday in a statement. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” it added. Leo, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, requested the ballot Oct. 3, the Will County Clerk’s Office chief of staff, Kim Fladhammer, confirmed to NBC News on Thursday. The Chicago Sun-Times first reported the ballot request. The clerk’s office told NBC News it has not yet received a completed ballot from the pope, who had lung cancer surgery this month.

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Headlinne story · 4 newsrooms

Pope Leo XIV Casts Mail Ballot in United States Midterms

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