Pope Leo XIV Requests Absentee Ballot for Illinois Midterms
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The first American pope has asked for a mail-in ballot in Illinois, underscoring how even the Vatican’s newest voice is being pulled into a political moment shaped by Trump-era extremism, immigration crackdowns, and intensifying fights over power and democracy.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost and a registered voter in Illinois, asked the Will County Clerk’s Office for an absentee ballot on Oct. 3, according to chief of staff Kim Fladhammer. The request was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times and confirmed to NBC News.
The clerk’s office has not received a completed ballot from the pope, who underwent lung-cancer surgery earlier this month. If he fills out and returns the ballot, it will be mailed to Joliet, Illinois.
As the first American pope, Leo would become the first pontiff to cast a vote in a U.S. election. Public records show he has voted in the 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2024 general elections and in several Republican primaries, a reminder that even elite religious institutions are not sealed off from the contradictions of American electoral politics.
Since his election in May 2025, Leo has publicly criticized several policies of President Donald Trump’s administration, including the war in Iran and immigration enforcement. In April, Trump responded on social media, calling the pope “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” a typical display of his crude hostility toward anyone who challenges his hardline agenda.
“I’m not a big fan of Pope Leo,” Trump said.
Leo told NBC News he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and will continue to advocate for peace, a stance that stands in stark contrast to the administration’s militarized politics and cruelty toward migrants.
Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, also warned Leo to be cautious when commenting on theology and U.S. foreign policy, another example of the pressure conservative power brokers try to exert on dissenting religious voices.
Leo’s ballot this year features a slate of Democratic candidates, including Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) for Congress, Senate nominee Juliana Stratton for the seat being vacated by Sen. Dick Durbin, and Governor JB Pritzker seeking a third term.