Storyline · general · 7 reports from 5 newsrooms

Pope Leo XIV votes in U.S. election

First reported Oct 27, 1:59 AM ET · Latest Oct 30, 12:53 PM ET · Explainer updated Oct 30, 1:02 PM ET

Where things stand

Pope Leo XIV has cast a mail‑in ballot in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections, becoming the first sitting pope to vote in an American election, according to PBS NewsHour and Axios.

Relay Note

Axios reports that Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, cast a mail‑in ballot in the Illinois midterm elections, becoming the first sitting pope known to vote in a U.S. election. The story notes that Joliet radio station WJOL first disclosed his request for a mail‑in ballot on Oct. 23. While the reporting establishes the pope’s participation, it remains unclear how the Vatican will respond to concerns about the pope’s political neutrality or whether future popes who hold citizenship elsewhere will also vote.

Written by AI only from this story's record below, and checked line by line against it. Updated .

Continuum

The living record of this story: every fact with its status and source, updated as reporting comes in. Version 1, updated . Earlier versions

Facts

What the reporting says

Each fact is matched to the exact words of the report it comes from, and checked that those words really say it. Open one to see the source.

  • Reported Pope Leo XIV voted in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections using a mail‑in ballot. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Pope Leo XIV voted in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections using a mail-in ballot” — Axios
  • Reported Pope Leo XIV is the first sitting pope known to vote in an American election. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “becoming the first sitting pope known to vote in an American election” — Axios
  • Reported Pope Leo XIV is an American citizen. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “The pontiff, an American citizen, may be the first to vote” — Axios
  • Reported Joliet radio station WJOL first reported on Oct. 23 that Pope Leo XIV had requested a mail‑in ballot. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Joliet radio station WJOL first reported Oct. 23 that Leo had requested a mail-in ballot” — Axios
  • Reported Israelis living abroad spend thousands of dollars to fly in to vote in the election. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Israelis living abroad spend thousands to fly in to vote in crucial election” — CBS News
  • Reported Voter turnout in the Israeli election was the highest in 50 years. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Israel election turnout highest in 50 years” — Al Jazeera
  • Reported Israelis were voting on whether to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Israelis are voting on whether to oust Netanyahu” — PBS NewsHour
  • Reported The election was the first Israeli election held since the Oct. 7 attack. Is this wrong?
    Source
  • Reported Israelis voted for the first time since the October 7 terror attack. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Israelis vote for 1st time since October 7 terror attack” — Deutsche Welle
  • Reported Benjamin Netanyahu faced a battle to stay in power. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Benjamin Netanyahu, faces a battle to stay in power” — Deutsche Welle
  • Reported Arab parties were projected to act as kingmakers in the election. Is this wrong?
    Source
    • “Arab parties are projected to play kingmakers.” — Deutsche Welle

How to read the labels: Reported: one newsroom · Corroborated: two or more independent newsrooms · Confirmed: backed by a primary source such as an official release or filing · Disputed: newsrooms disagree · Updated: replaced by a newer figure. This story as data for AI assistants and developers.

Timeline

What changed: The Vatican confirmed that the pontiff, an American citizen, submitted his ballot on Friday, marking the historic first.

How this story developed

  1. New Pope Leo XIV voted in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections using a mail‑in ballot. Pope Leo XIV is the first sitting pope known to vote in an American election. Pope Leo XIV is an American citizen. Joliet radio station WJOL first reported on Oct. 23 that Pope Leo XIV had requested a mail‑in ballot.
  2. New Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have flown in to cast their ballots in the election.
  3. Update Cost of voting abroad: tens of thousands → thousands (CBS News; earlier: CBS News)
  4. New Voter turnout in the Israeli election was the highest in 50 years. Israelis were voting on whether to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The election was the first Israeli election held since the Oct. 7 attack. Israelis voted for the first time since the October 7 terror attack.

Facts that have changed

  • Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have flown in to cast their ballots in the election. Now: Israelis living abroad spend thousands of dollars to fly in to vote in the election.
    Source
    • “Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have flown in just to cast their ballots in an election” — CBS News

Every report, newest first

  1. Leo XIV has become the first pope in history to vote in a U.S. general election — PBS NewsHour

    Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America's future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.

  2. Pope Leo XIV becomes first pope to vote in U.S. election — Axios

    Pope Leo XIV voted in the 2026 Illinois midterm elections using a mail-in ballot, the Vatican confirmed Friday, becoming the first sitting pope known to vote in an American election. Why it matters: The pontiff, an American citizen, may be the first to vote…

  3. "Your vote is your voice": A look at why voting matters — CBS News

    Why is it important to vote even if the president isn't on the ballot? House and Senate control, governor's mansions, ballot questions and more that will be determined by the 2026 midterm elections.

  4. Israelis living abroad spend thousands to fly in to vote in crucial election — CBS News

    Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad have flown in just to cast their ballots in an election many voters see as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu.

  5. Israel election turnout highest in 50 years as voting continues — Al Jazeera

    Almost 45 percent of Israeli voters had cast their ballots by mid-afternoon.

  6. Israelis are voting on whether to oust Netanyahu in first election since Oct. 7 attack — PBS NewsHour

    Israelis are voting in a pivotal election Tuesday as their country wrestles with unresolved wars, continues to reel from Hamas' 2023 attack and is deeply divided over the character of the state and the right person to lead it.

  7. Israel election: Israelis vote for 1st time since October 7 terror attack — Deutsche Welle

    Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, faces a battle to stay in power amid fierce competition from a bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Arab parties are projected to play kingmakers.

Questions

  • It remains unclear how the pope’s participation will affect public opinion of the Vatican’s role in secular politics or whether it will inspire other religious leaders to vote. Open
  • It remains unclear how the Vatican will address concerns about the pope’s political neutrality and whether future popes who are citizens of other countries will also vote. Open
  • Final vote counts and which parties will ultimately form the government remain unclear. Open
  • The final vote totals, which parties will ultimately form a governing coalition, and how the election will affect Israel’s handling of ongoing conflicts remain unclear. Open

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More: background

Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, holds U.S. citizenship, which allows him to participate in federal and state elections. A mail‑in ballot lets eligible voters submit their choices without appearing at a polling place, a method often used by those unable to vote in person. Midterm elections determine control of the U.S. House, Senate and many state offices.

How this works: stories from different newsrooms are grouped by topic, then AI writes the explainer using only those reports. It may miss context the reports don't include.