Pope Leo becomes first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election

Pope Leo XIV cast his ballot in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections, marking a historic first for a sitting pontiff, according to the Vatican. The mail-in ballot was requested earlier this year, and the Holy See confirmed the act of voting on Friday. The Holy See Press Office stated that the pope believed in the "right and duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes."

The Vatican also affirmed that the pontiff "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen" whenever he was eligible, including during his time living in Peru. The ballot includes Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's reelection bid, a Senate race involving Dick Durbin, and a House contest between Democrats Jonathan Jackson and Republicans Christian Maxwell.

Jackson, the son of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, secured his district's seat in 2024. The pontiff's votes have spanned both Democratic and Republican primaries over the past two decades. The Pope, currently recovering from lung cancer surgery, met with advocates supporting immigrants at an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, and has faced clashes with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance over issues like the Iran war and immigration treatment.