Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Francis Prevost, submitted an absentee ballot in Chicago ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Records show a history of cross-party engagement, with past votes cast in both Democratic and Republican primaries in Illinois, as well as during his missionary work in Peru. The unprecedented action follows sharp public exchanges with Donald Trump, who criticized the pope's stances on crime and international relations.
Key points
The Vatican confirmed this election marks the first known instance of a sitting pope voti…: The Vatican confirmed this election marks the first known instance of a sitting pope voting in a political contest.
The pontiff maintains that participating in democratic processes serves as both a fundame…: The pontiff maintains that participating in democratic processes serves as both a fundamental right and a civic duty for citizens.
Pope Leo has consistently challenged Donald Trump on foreign intervention and the ongoing…: Pope Leo has consistently challenged Donald Trump on foreign intervention and the ongoing crackdown on immigration.
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The Vatican said the Chicago-born pope believes citizens have a "right and duty" to take part in democratic elections.
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic Church's first US-born pontiff, has voted in the United States midterm elections, the first known time a pope has voted in a political election.
The head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, who has clashed with US President Donald Trump, submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago, the Vatican said Friday.
The Chicago-born pontiff "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so" and believes in "the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," it said.
A rift earlier this year between US President Donald Trump and the pope sparked global headlines.
Leo and Trump repeatedly clashed over papal criticism of the harsh crackdown on immigration in the United States and of the war on Iran, with Trump calling the pontiff "weak" on crime and "terrible" on foreign policy.
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