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Pope Leo votes by mail in Will County ahead of Nov. 3 election
The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pope submitted a mail ballot, making him the first pontiff to vote in a U.S. election; the county clerk says he is registered at a New Lenox address.
Prairie Record, published
Pope Leo XIV has voted by mail in Illinois’ Nov. 3 general election, the Vatican confirmed Friday, making him the first pope to vote in a U.S. election.1, 2 His ballot is a Will County ballot, sent to a New Lenox address he has used in the past, Will County Clerk Annette Parker told The Herald-News.3
“Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Vatican said in a statement, according to the Sun-Times.1 The Holy See press office said the pope believes in “the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” FOX 32 reported.2
How the ballot was requested
The Sun-Times first reported Thursday that the Chicago-born pope, born Robert Francis Prevost, remains a registered Illinois voter and had requested a mail ballot through the Will County clerk’s office.1 The request was made Oct. 3, according to the Sun-Times.1, 2
“Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election,” said Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff in the Will County clerk’s office, according to the Sun-Times.1
The Vatican described the ballot as coming from Chicago, but Parker said that is not where he is registered.3 “He’s not registered in Chicago,” Parker told The Herald-News.3 “He’s registered in Will County.”3
The pope’s brother lives in New Lenox, and the pope worked at Providence Catholic High School there and lived at its friary for a year in the 1980s, according to The Herald-News.3
When it counts
As of Thursday, the clerk’s office had not received the ballot, Parker said.3 “As long as it’s postmarked Nov. 3, it’s good,” she told The Herald-News.3 A mail ballot must arrive within 14 days after the election to be counted, the paper reported.3
The Illinois State Board of Elections said Thursday that any registered Illinois voter can vote by mail, and that U.S. citizens living overseas have that right under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, according to the Sun-Times.1 The deadline to apply for a mail ballot was Oct. 29, the Sun-Times reported.1
What is on his ballot
The Will County ballot includes the U.S. Senate race to replace Sen. Dick Durbin, the governor’s race in which Gov. JB Pritzker is seeking reelection, and Will County judicial and county races, according to the Sun-Times.1
Illinois voting records show the pope requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010 while registered in Cook County and Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016 after moving to Will County, FOX 32 reported.2 Illinois voters do not register by party and may choose either party’s primary ballot.1 The records do not show which candidates he voted for.2
Pritzker urged Illinois voters to follow the pope’s lead in a social media post: “If the Pope can vote all the way from Vatican City, you can too!”1
Written by AI. This story was researched and written by an AI system from the 3 sources listed below, and published after an automated check that it rests on a government document or two independent news organizations.
It can still contain errors. Check the sources, and see how these stories are made.
Sources
- Vatican confirms Pope Leo voted in midterm election, submitted mail ballot, Chicago Sun-Times
- Pope Leo becomes first pope to vote in a US general election, FOX 32 Chicago
- Pope casts mail-in ballot from Rome to Will County, The Herald-News (Shaw Local)