Pope Leo XIV’s Historic Participation in Illinois Election

Pope Leo XIV has taken an unprecedented step by requesting a mail ballot for Illinois’ November 3 midterm election. This move could make him the first pope to participate in a secular election while serving as the head of the Catholic Church. The Will County Clerk’s Office disclosed that the pope, born Robert Francis Prevost, applied for a vote-by-mail ballot on October 3. Despite his role leading the Catholic Church from Vatican City, he remains a registered voter at a New Lenox, Illinois, address. The return of the ballot remains unknown.

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

More than 20 million Americans and 1.16 million Illinois residents have already voted early. Election law allows any registered Illinois voter to participate by mail, including those living overseas. Newsweek contacted Will County election officials for additional comments.

What Races Are on the Pope’s Ballot?

The ballot expected for the pope includes the Illinois U.S. Senate race, where a replacement for retiring Senator Dick Durbin is sought, the reelection campaign of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and various local contests in Will County. Public records highlighted by the Sun-Times reveal that Leo has participated in both Republican and Democratic primary elections over time. This includes 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 taken part in multiple general elections, notably voting in 2024. This is his first significant election since ascending to the papacy last year.

Tension Between the Pope and President Donald Trump

The first American-born pope, Leo, has sometimes clashed with President Donald Trump and other Republican figures over issues like immigration policy and foreign affairs, especially concerning the conflict in Iran. Despite typically refraining from U.S. political matters, the Vatican has not been silent about these issues. In April, Trump criticized the pope for being ‘weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy,’ to which the pope responded, expressing ‘no fear’ of Trump’s administration.

Leo has been vocal against the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, denouncing the ‘delusion of omnipotence’ that he deems responsible for causing ‘absurd and inhuman violence.’

What We Know About Pope Leo’s Health

Pope Leo wisely submitted his ballot request before undergoing surgery earlier this month. The procedure was to remove part of his lung due to cancer. Post-surgery, the Vatican confirmed that he would not require further cancer treatment. This decision came after tests verified the presence of localized lung adenocarcinoma.

His personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, along with his surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, issued a statement. It confirmed that post-operative tests corroborated the initial diagnosis, indicating no cancer spread occurred.

‘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,’ said the doctors’ statement.