Politics News
Pope Leo XIV casts a mail-in ballot, the first pope to vote in a US election
Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic Church's first US-born pontiff, has voted in the United States midterm elections, the Vatican confirmed on Friday, October 30. RTÉ reported he submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago. MercoPress said this makes him the first pontiff to take part in an election in the United States, ahead of the vote on November 3.
The South China Morning Post quoted the Holy See press office as saying that Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, has voted “whenever he was eligible to do so”, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.
The pope “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen”. — Holy See press office, via South China Morning Post
Hindustan Times called it history being made, the first time a sitting pontiff has voted in a US election. The Vatican statement, as reported, does not say how he voted.
How each outlet framed it
- RTÉ — the basic facts for a Catholic audience: the first US-born pope, a ballot sent from Chicago.
- South China Morning Post — the Vatican's reasoning, quoting its statement on civic duty.
- Hindustan Times — the historic first, as part of its wider midterms coverage.
- MercoPress — the date: a vote cast days before the November 3 election.
What we don't know yet: Which races he voted in and how. Reports say only that the ballot was cast in Chicago.