Pope Leo XIV has made history after casting his mail-in ballot in Illinois ahead of the November 3 United States midterm elections, becoming the first sitting pope known to have voted in a US election.
The Chicago-born pontiff exercised his right as an American citizen by requesting a mail-in ballot from the Will County Clerk's Office on October 3, according to NBC News.
The Vatican confirmed that the Pope believes citizens have both a right and a responsibility to take part in democratic processes.
"The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.
The 71-year-old Pope, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. He was elected to the papacy in May 2025, following the death of Pope Francis.
The Vatican also clarified that Pope Leo XIV has exercised his voting rights whenever he has been eligible to do so as a United States citizen, including during his years living in Peru.
His participation comes at a politically significant moment in the United States, with voters preparing to elect members of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections.
The polls will determine which political party controls Congress, potentially shaping the final years of President Donald Trump's administration.
Early voting has already begun in several states.
The Pope's decision to vote also comes amid growing tensions between the Vatican and the Trump administration over several issues, including immigration enforcement and the US-Israel war with Iran.
Relations between the two leaders became increasingly strained in April after Pope Leo called for peace following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Trump subsequently criticised the pontiff, questioning his leadership and expressing dissatisfaction with his public statements on the conflict.
"I don't think he's doing a very good job," Trump said at the time.
"We don't like a Pope that's going to say that it's OK to have a nuclear weapon. I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo," the US president added.
In response, Pope Leo maintained that the Catholic Church's responsibility was to promote peace and spread the Gospel rather than engage in political confrontations.
"The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace," the Pope said, according to Reuters.
He added that criticism over his position would not change his commitment to the Church's mission.
"If someone wants to criticise me for preaching the Gospel... I hope simply to be listened to because of the value of God's words," he said.
Meanwhile, the Vatican recently confirmed that the Pope would proceed with his planned apostolic visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in early November.
The announcement came weeks after the Vatican disclosed that he had undergone surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung following a lung cancer diagnosis.
His upcoming trip is expected to mark another significant international engagement for the pontiff as he continues his leadership of the Catholic Church.
