Pope voted in U.S. election because he's "proud to be an American"

Key points

• Pope Leo XIV voted by mail-in ballot in Chicago, becoming the first sitting pontiff to vote in a U.S. election.
• He declined to comment on the midterm results, pointing instead to the Vatican's statement on civic participation.
• The 71-year-old is traveling to Latin America for 12 days, three weeks after surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumor.

Pope Leo XIV said Friday he is "proud to be an American and to exercise my right" to vote, after the Vatican confirmed he cast a mail-in ballot in his native Chicago. He is the first sitting pontiff to vote in a U.S. election, according to the report.

The pope spoke to reporters on a flight to Latin America for a 12-day, three-nation trip. He declined to comment on the midterm election outcome, which gave Democrats control of Congress, and instead referred to a Vatican statement released last week on his belief in civic participation.

Vatican statement on voting

The Holy See press office said in an Oct. 30 statement that the pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, has voted as a U.S. citizen whenever eligible. The Vatican said he believes in the right and duty of citizens to take part in democratic processes.

The Vatican said Leo voted whenever eligible during nearly two decades as a missionary and then bishop in Peru. He holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship. The Associated Press reported he previously voted in five primary elections since 2000, on Democratic ballots in 2008 and 2019 and Republican ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Leo said he could not vote in Peru's recent election because absentee ballots "aren't possible." He added that he would have done so and called it a good thing.

I am very happy to be here myself. I know some people were doubtful about this trip taking place

— Pope Leo XIV

Travel after lung surgery

The 71-year-old pope is traveling three weeks after surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. He was cleared to travel on Oct. 26, two weeks after the operation.

Doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung on Oct. 13 after finding a malignant tumor identified as a lung adenocarcinoma, discovered during a routine abdominal examination. He was discharged from the hospital on Oct. 17.

Leo told reporters he had no doubt the trip should go forward and credited his recovery to trusting God, good doctors and surgeons, and a healthy lifestyle. He said he had not yet played tennis but would.