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Pope Leo requested absentee ballot in Illinois to vote in midterms
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV, registered to vote in Illinois, has requested a mail ballot for the upcoming midterm elections, with the request confirmed by the Will County Clerk’s Office.
- It remains unclear whether the pope, who recently underwent lung cancer surgery, has completed or mailed his ballot, which would be sent to Joliet, Illinois.
- If he votes, Pope Leo XIV would be the first American pope to participate in a U.S. election, having previously voted in multiple Illinois elections and primaries.
- Since becoming pope, Leo has openly criticized certain Trump administration policies, leading to public disputes with former President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
- This year’s ballot includes Democratic candidates in solidly blue races, such as Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Senate nominee Juliana Stratton, and Governor JB Pritzker, who is seeking a historic third term.
