Pope Leo makes history by voting in US midterms

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Pope Leo XIV has submitted a mail-in ballot for the US midterms, becoming the first pope to vote in a US election and likely the first to vote in a secular democratic election.

The first American pope “has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago,” the Vatican said in a statement Friday. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” the statement said.

Michael Walsh, a British historian and author who has written several books on the papacy, said Leo XIV would be the first pope to vote in a democratic, secular election.

“I don’t think popes have ever voted in a democratic election before,” he told CNN.

Records show that the pope, who remains a US citizen, is registered as a voter in the Chicago suburb of New Lenox where his brother, John, lives. The Chicago-born pontiff has cast ballots in both Republican and Democratic primaries in recent years and cast a vote in the 2024 presidential election.

Since his election to the papacy in May 2025, the pope has encouraged civic involvement, urging people to make their voices heard about the US-Israel war against Iran.

The pope has clashed with President Donald Trump’s administration over the war in Iran and its immigration crackdown. Earlier this year, the president launched an unprecedented set of broadsides against Leo XIV, although Trump has been less critical of him lately — frequently talking about how the pope’s eldest brother, Louis, is a Trump supporter.

CNN has asked the Will County Clerk’s Office for comment.

Lauren Sharman contributed to this report.

菲利波·蒙特福特/法新社/盖蒂图片社

教皇利奥十四世已提交美国中期选举的邮寄选票，成为首位在美国选举中投票的教皇，也可能是首位在世俗民主选举中投票的教皇。

梵蒂冈周五发表声明称，首位美国籍教皇“已在芝加哥提交了邮寄选票”。声明还表示，“教皇表达了他对公民参与民主进程的权利和义务的信念。”

英国历史学家兼作家迈克尔·沃尔什曾撰写过多部关于教皇制度的书籍，他表示，利奥十四世将是第一位在民主、世俗选举中投票的教皇。

“我认为教皇以前从未在民主选举中投票，”他告诉 CNN。

记录显示，教皇仍是美国公民，他在芝加哥郊区新莱诺克斯（他的弟弟约翰居住的地方）登记为选民。这位出生于芝加哥的教皇近年来在共和党和民主党的初选中都投过票，并且也将在2024年总统大选中投票。

自 2025 年 5 月当选教皇以来，教皇一直鼓励公民参与，敦促人们就美国和以色列对伊朗的战争表达自己的意见。

教宗与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的政府在伊朗战争和移民政策上存在分歧。今年早些时候，特朗普总统对教宗利奥十四世发起了一系列前所未有的猛烈抨击，尽管他最近对利奥十四世的批评有所缓和——他经常谈到教宗的哥哥路易十四是他的支持者。

CNN已向威尔县书记官办公室寻求置评。

Lauren Sharman 对本报道亦有贡献。