Pope Leo participates in US midterm election via mail-in ballot

Pope Leo has cast his ballot in the upcoming US midterm elections, marking the first recorded instance of a reigning pontiff participating in a political election.

The Vatican confirmed on Friday that the pontiff, who holds American citizenship, submitted an absentee ballot by mail in his birthplace of Chicago. Church officials stated that he has routinely exercised his voting rights as a US citizen whenever eligible, including periods when he worked as a missionary in Peru. According to the Holy See, the pontiff considers taking part in democratic systems to be both a right and an obligation for citizens.

Born Robert Prevost, Leo was chosen to head the Roman Catholic Church last year following the death of Pope Francis, making him the first American to hold the office. Reports indicate that he applied for his postal ballot on 3 October using an address located in New Lenox, Illinois. The request occurred ten days prior to an operation to remove a malignant growth from his right lung. Since leaving the hospital on 17 October, the pontiff has been steadily returning to his routine duties ahead of the election on 3 November.

The move comes amid visible tension between the pontiff and US President Donald Trump. Leo has publicly denounced the administration's stringent immigration measures, characterizing them as inhuman. In an address ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he praised the American tradition of embracing newcomers and called on citizens to uphold the nation's founding values.

Trump has previously attacked the pope over his objections to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, alleging that the pontiff is soft on crime and deficient on foreign affairs. Trump also claimed credit for the pontiff's election, asserting it happened solely because of his own presidency. In response to those comments, Leo remarked that he was not intimidated by the American leader. While expressing affection for his homeland's principles in a July broadcast interview, the pope observed that he merely happens to be an American.

The pontiff is scheduled to embark on an 11-day tour of Latin America in November across 10 cities. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, who serves as foreign minister for the Holy See, indicated this week that a papal journey to the United States could occur relatively soon, noting that the midterm election results might affect whether that visit takes place in 2027 or afterwards.