Pope Leo XIV Requests Mail Ballot for U.S. Midterm Election

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, has requested a mail ballot for Illinois’ November 3 midterm election. This marks a potential historical moment as he may become the first pope to vote in a secular election while still serving as pontiff. The Will County Clerk’s Office confirmed that he requested the vote-by-mail ballot on October 3. Despite leading 1.4 billion Catholics from Vatican City, he remains a registered voter at a New Lenox, Illinois address. Whether the ballot has been returned is not yet known.

Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election. – Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff for the Will County Clerk’s Office, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

More than 20 million Americans and 1.16 million Illinois residents have already voted early. Illinois law allows any registered voter to vote by mail, including citizens residing abroad.

What Races Are on the Pope’s Ballot?

The ballot Pope Leo XIV requested includes several key races. These are expected to include the Illinois U.S. Senate race to replace the retiring Senator Dick Durbin, the reelection campaign of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and various other Will County contests. According to public records, he has a history of participating in both Republican and Democratic primary elections in Illinois, having voted in Democratic primaries in 2008 and 2010, and Republican primaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016. Illinois does not require voters to affiliate with a political party.

He has also voted in general elections, including in 2024, based on reports. This would be his first major political engagement since ascending to the papacy last year.

Tension Between the Pope and President Donald Trump

As the first American-born pope, Leo XIV has had some disagreements with President Donald Trump and Republican officials, particularly regarding immigration policy and foreign relations, especially concerning the conflict in Iran. While the Vatican generally refrains from meddling in U.S. political matters, Trump accused the pope of being weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy in April, to which the pontiff responded without fear of the administration.

Pope Leo has openly criticized the ongoing Middle East conflict, noting the delusions of omnipotence that have led to absurd and inhuman violence.

Pope Leo’s Health Update

Before undergoing surgery this month, Pope Leo remembered to request a ballot. He had surgery to remove a portion of his lung that was affected by cancer. The Vatican later stated that no further cancer treatment would be needed, following the surgery that confirmed the presence of a localized lung adenocarcinoma.

According to a statement by his physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, post-operative tests on the tissue removed during surgery showed the cancer had not spread.

Today, the final histological examinations and molecular biology tests on the material removed during the Holy Father’s surgery were reported. The results confirmed that the tumor was a localized lung adenocarcinoma. A subsequent oncological evaluation confirmed that no further treatment is necessary, the doctors said.