Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, has cast his ballot in the United States midterm elections, the Holy See Press Office confirmed on Friday.

In a statement released on Friday, the Press Office said the Chicago-born pope, an American citizen formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so.”

“In keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, he has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago,” the statement continued. It added that during his years of residence in Peru, the Holy Father also “exercised his right to vote whenever he was eligible to do so.”

Pope Leo XIV expressed his “belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes.”

The confirmation follows earlier reports that the pope, who remains registered to vote in Will County, Illinois, under his birth name, requested a mail-in ballot on October 3.

He is registered at an address in New Lenox, a suburb of Chicago where his brother resides. U.S. citizens living abroad are entitled to vote by absentee or mail ballot in federal elections under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

The 2026 midterm elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are contested, along with 35 Senate seats, 36 governorships, and numerous state and local races. In Illinois, the ballot includes the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and the reelection bid of Gov. JB Pritzker, among other contests.

If counted, Pope Leo XIV’s vote would mark the first known instance of a sitting pope participating in a U.S. election—or any secular election—while in office.

Public records show that before his election as pope in May 2025, Prevost voted in several U.S. elections and primaries, including both Democratic and Republican primaries in earlier years and the 2024 general election.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, underwent surgery for lung cancer earlier this month and has been gradually resuming his activities while preparing for an apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru scheduled for November 6–17.

The Vatican’s announcement underscores the pope’s continued engagement with civic life as both a spiritual leader and a U.S. citizen.