Pope becomes first pontiff to cast ballot in US election

Pope Leo XIV has made history by becoming the first pontiff to participate in a U.S. election, casting an absentee ballot for the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. The Chicago-born pope retained voting eligibility in his native state despite his election to the papacy, and chose to exercise that right in the recent electoral cycle.

The decision marks an unprecedented intersection of Vatican leadership and American electoral politics. While popes have occasionally commented on U.S. political matters, direct participation in elections has been eschewed by previous pontiffs as potentially incompatible with the Holy See's diplomatic neutrality.

Sources close to the Vatican indicated the pope's decision to vote was influenced by concerns over specific policy issues, though his office has not detailed which candidates or positions received his support. The pontiff's relationship with prominent American political figures, particularly his tension with Trump, has been documented through public statements on immigration, climate policy, and social justice issues.

The absentee vote underscores the pope's engagement with his country of origin and represents a departure from Vatican tradition regarding direct involvement in national elections.