By Sam Douglass
Editor’s Note: Shortly after this story was published, the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement stating that Pope Leo XIV had returned his ballot and voted in the Illinois general election.
Pope Leo XIV has requested a mail-in ballot for the November 3 midterm elections in Illinois, which could be the first time in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church that a sitting pope has voted in a secular election. Leo, the first American-born pope, has maintained his voter registration in Will County, Illinois, since becoming pontiff in May 2025.
The request was confirmed Thursday by the Will County Clerk’s Office in suburban Chicago, where the pope remains registered to vote under his birth name, Robert Francis Prevost. According to Letters from Leo, an online publication covering Catholic news, Prevost submitted his request for a mail ballot on October 3, approximately one month before Election Day. The Chicago Sun Times independently confirmed the request with the clerk’s office in a report published Thursday.
The request was first cited by sources who said someone close to the pope had requested that the ballot be sent to his registered address in New Lenox, where his brother, John Prevost, resides.
John Prevost was in Rome this week and joined approximately 50 parishioners from St. Jude Catholic Church in New Lenox who met Pope Leo in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday. The group was completing a pilgrimage following the footsteps of St. Augustine, according to Vatican News. It is possible that John brought the ballot to his brother during the visit, although this was not confirmed by the Vatican nor the family. It also remains unclear whether the pope has returned the ballot to Will County.
If he returns the ballot, Pope Leo would become the first known sitting pontiff to cast a vote in a country’s civil election, according to Letters from Leo. His participation would be particularly notable given that he continues to maintain his Illinois voter registration despite living at the Vatican in Rome.
Prevost has a history of voting in Illinois elections. Records from the Will County Clerk’s Office show that he participated in Democratic primary elections in 2008 and 2010 before voting in Republican primaries in 2012, 2014 and 2016. He also cast ballots in the general elections in 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2024. He did not participate in Illinois’ March 2026 primary.
Illinois does not require voters to register with a political party. Instead, voters select which party’s ballot they wish to receive when participating in a primary election, meaning their choice does not establish a permanent party affiliation. Federal law provides voting protections for eligible American citizens living overseas, including the ability to participate in federal elections.
As pope, Leo has spoken publicly about capital punishment, immigration, and international conflicts, frequently emphasizing human dignity and the need for peaceful resolutions. In April 2026, he sent a video message to DePaul University commemorating the 15th anniversary of Illinois abolishing the death penalty, reiterating his opposition to capital punishment.
Although the pope’s political views and public statements have drawn attention since his election, the contents of his ballot will remain private, just as they do for other registered voters in Illinois. Whether he completes the voting process ahead of Tuesday’s election remains unknown.