Pope Leo subtly influences US election
The gist
Pope Leo XIV, the Chicago-born pontiff, submitted a mail-in ballot ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.
He is the first pope to vote in a US general election, a first with political ripple effects.
How it unfolded
- Oct 3, 2026Pope Leo XIV, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot, according to the chief of staff at the Will County clerk's office.
- Oct 22, 2026A group of U.S. bishops met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office; photos and video showed them praying with him at the Resolute Desk.
- Oct 27, 2026Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states, spoke at the foreign press club in Rome about a possible U.S. papal visit.