VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo has cast a mail-in ballot in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections, becoming the first pope to vote in a US election, according to Axios.
The Vatican confirmed that the pope, who holds U.S. citizenship, submitted his ballot by mail in Chicago.
He may also be the first pope to vote in a secular democratic election, the news outlet reported.
In a statement, the Holy See Press Office said the pope firmly believed in citizens’ right and duty to participate in the democratic process.
The statement added that Leo had submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago.
The pope has had sharp disagreements with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance over the war in Iran and the treatment of immigrants in the United States.
Earlier, Pope Leo XIV has begun walking and eating following surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his lung, with initial medical tests indicating normal progress in his recovery, doctors said Wednesday.
According to the AFP news agency, the 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where part of his right lung was removed. Doctors are awaiting a biopsy report on the tumour to determine whether the cancer has spread.
In a statement released by the Vatican on Wednesday, doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margherita said blood tests and a chest X-ray showed normal postoperative recovery. The results were within the expected range for a procedure of this nature, they said.
The pope had breakfast and lunch, walked around his hospital room and underwent respiratory physiotherapy to help restore his breathing, according to the Vatican.
