Pope Leo XIV, Chicago-Born Pontiff, Remains a Registered Illinois Voter Casting a Mail Ballot from Vatican City

Pope Leo XIV may lead the Catholic Church from Vatican City, but the Chicago-born pontiff remains a registered voter in Illinois—and he intends to use that right. Robert Francis Prevost, elected pope after white smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel in May 2025, requested a vote-by-mail ballot for the upcoming midterm elections, according to the Will County clerk’s office.

Kim Fladhammer, chief of staff for the Will County clerk’s office, told the Chicago Sun-Times that “Robert Francis Prevost is on the list of individuals who requested a vote by mail ballot for the upcoming election.” Records indicate Prevost is registered to an address in New Lenox and submitted his request on Oct. 3. The ballot has traveled far from its origin in Joliet to reach the Vatican, where the pope now resides.

A Will County Voter Casting a Ballot from Rome

The Will County clerk’s office confirmed Prevost’s status as an active Illinois voter. In Illinois, any registered voter may request a mail ballot without providing an excuse, a change from the pre-2010 system that required a specific reason to vote absentee. Matt Dietrich, a spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections, explained the shift in the state’s election law.

“There is no such thing as an absentee ballot in Illinois law anymore. So anyone can vote by mail if they so choose.”

Dietrich also noted the applicability of UOCAVA, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which covers military personnel and U.S. citizens living abroad—provisions that encompass the pope’s situation as an American citizen residing in Vatican City.

Illinois Mail Voting Rules and a Decades-Long Voting Record

Illinois voters do not register by party affiliation. Instead, they select a party ballot when casting a primary vote, which means Prevost’s primary history does not lock him into a single political camp. Election records reviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times show he voted in Democratic primaries in 2008 and 2010, then participated in Republican primaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016. He also cast ballots in the general elections of 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2024, though he did not vote in Illinois’ most recent March primary.

The Races on His Ballot: Senate, Governor, and Local Contests

When Prevost completes his ballot, he will weigh in on several consequential Illinois races. At the top of the ticket is the U.S. Senate contest to replace Sen. Dick Durbin, along with Gov. JB Pritzker’s bid for reelection. The ballot also includes Will County judicial races and county-level contests, among other local offices.

Deep Chicago Roots and a Stream of Visitors from Home

Prevost’s personal connection to Illinois runs deep. Born in Chicago, he grew up in the south suburb of Dolton. Since ascending to the papacy, he has welcomed a steady stream of visitors from the Chicago area to the Vatican, including Gov. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis-Gates, various suburban mayors, and even A.J. Pierzynski, the former Chicago White Sox catcher.

Public Tension with President Trump Over Policy and Rhetoric

The pope’s voter registration comes amid a visibly strained relationship with President Donald Trump. Since Leo’s election, the two have clashed over the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, and the situation in Venezuela. Pope Leo has been an outspoken critic of mass deportations and family separations, has warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence, and has opposed military strikes and armed conflict more broadly.

Trump drew widespread criticism in April when he described the head of the Catholic Church as “terrible for foreign policy” and shared a since-deleted AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus.

After months of addressing administration policies without naming Trump directly, Leo broke that pattern while aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria, according to the Associated Press. He said:

“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”

Lung Surgery, Recovery, and a Return to Public Duties

The pope’s electoral activity follows a serious health episode. Pope Leo returned to the Vatican on Oct. 18, four days after surgeons removed part of his right lung. The procedure confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, one of the most common forms of lung cancer. At 71, the pontiff has gradually resumed his public responsibilities, including a weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. He also met recently with a group of about 30 Chicago clergy, religious leaders, and lay people.

Pope Leo XIV’s status as an Illinois mail voter is more than a curiosity; it is a reminder that the head of a global religious institution remains, in many ways, a private citizen with roots in a specific place. His ballot will travel from the seat of the Catholic Church to a county clerk’s office in Illinois, connecting the Vatican to the everyday mechanics of American democracy. As he continues to recover from lung surgery and navigate a complicated relationship with the White House, the pope’s decision to vote by mail underscores how personal civic habits persist even amid extraordinary office.

News, Government, People, Society, Health, Communities, Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost, Vatican City, Illinois, Will County, New Lenox, Chicago, Dolton, United States, Catholic Church, Mail-in Voting, Midterm Elections, Lung Adenocarcinoma, Donald Trump, JB Pritzker, Dick Durbin, Chicago White Sox, Sistine Chapel, UOCAVA, Chicago Sun-Times, Associated Press