Pope Leo XIV requests Will County ballot for November 3 vote
The first American-born pope has not returned to the U.S. since his election but remains eligible to vote under federal law.
By Matthew Brooks ·
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, has requested a mail-in ballot from the Will County Clerk’s Office to potentially vote in the November 3 election.
A spokesperson for the pope confirmed the request to NBC News on Thursday, following a report by the Chicago Sun-Times. The Vatican has not yet returned the completed form, according to the chief of staff for the Clerk’s Office. The ballot must be postmarked by the deadline to count in the upcoming election.
Prevost has not traveled to the United States since he was elected to the papacy last year. He has also not visited the Chicago area since assuming the role. However, he has made several public statements regarding American politics, which have sometimes drawn criticism from President Donald Trump.
If Prevost casts a ballot, he will become the first pope in history to vote in a U.S. election. He is the first American-born individual to hold the position. Because he did not renounce his citizenship upon becoming pope, he retains the legal right to vote in the United States.
The request for the ballot represents a procedural step toward participation in the local election. The Will County Clerk’s Office is currently waiting for the Vatican to return the form. Time remains for the document to be processed and postmarked before the November 3 date.
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