Vatican Confirms Pope Leo XIV Voted by Mail, Sent Midterm Ballot to Chicago
Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, has cast a historic vote in the 2026 midterm elections.
According to Vatican News, the Chicago-born pontiff sent his absentee ballot to his home city.
“Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office.
The Press Office added that the pontiff has a “long-standing practice of civic participation.” To that end, “he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago.”
“The Holy Father has also confirmed that, during his years of residence in Peru he exercised his right to vote whenever he was eligible to do so,” the statement read. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”
As the first American-born leader of Roman Catholicism, Pope Leo XIV is also the first in his position to vote in a U.S. election.
The historic nature of his vote, however, does not end there.
In fact, British papal historian Michael Walsh suggested that the current pope might be the first ever to cast a vote in any secular election.
“I don’t think popes have ever voted in a democratic election before,” Walsh told CNN.
Of course, the Vatican did not say which candidates or parties earned the pontiff’s vote. Based on past comments and actions, however, it would be difficult to imagine that he supported a Republican.
For instance, in 2025, Pope Leo XIV participated in an odd ice-blessing ceremony with pagan undertones and roots in climate-change hysteria.
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Earlier this year, the pope clashed with President Donald Trump’s administration over the Iran War.
The pontiff also apologized for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in legitimizing slavery.
As for abortion — an issue that prevents some Roman Catholics from ever voting Democrat — Pope Leo XIV has upheld teachings on the sanctity of life, but has insisted that “pro-life” also means criticizing immigration enforcement, at least in some cases.
Aside from abortion, the pontiff’s stated positions on political issues appear generally hostile to those of the Republican base.
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