Pope Leo XIV voted in 2024 U.S. general election — here’s which primaries he’s voted in

The newly elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, has not solely forged ballots within the papal conclave, however in U.S. elections as effectively. 

The Chicago-born pope — previously Cardinal Robert F. Prevost — is registered to vote within the Chicago suburb of New Lenox, Sick., and has a combined voting historical past of taking part in primaries for each events, in line with voting data shared with CBS News and knowledge from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

There isn’t any get together registration in Illinois, however to vote in a major you must select a celebration’s poll to vote on. Prevost has voted in additional Republican primaries than Democratic, and the final major election he voted in was the 2016 Republican presidential major. 

He final voted within the 2024 normal election, although it isn’t recognized what get together he voted for. 

That is in line with data, shared with CBS News by GOP advisor Jared Small, of Prevost’s recordsdata from “L2 Information,” a paid service utilized by political campaigns that has entry to particular person voter recordsdata offered by every state. CBS News has reached out to the Will County Clerk’s Workplace for copies of this knowledge as effectively. 

He voted within the Republican primaries in 2012, 2014 & 2016, together with the presidential primaries in 2012 and 2016. 

L2 Information data present he final voted in a Democratic major in 2010. He had additionally voted within the get together’s presidential major in 2008. 

He has voted in at the very least 9 normal elections, together with in 5 presidential election cycles: 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2024. There isn’t any document of him voting within the 2016 or 2020 normal election.

Information present he additionally voted in a “consolidated normal election” in April 2001, when native Illinois workplaces have been on the poll. 

The now-pope has additionally been active on social media for years, and has reposted statements about politics. 

In February, he shared on X an article that criticized Republican Vice President JD Vance, and he as soon as shared a 2015 Washington Post op-ed written by American Cardinal Timothy Dolan titled “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.” He has additionally shared tales important of abortion.

Each Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance congratulated Pope Leo XIV on Thursday, and Mr. Trump informed reporters it was “such an honor for our nation” to have an American pope.

The brand new pope had studied on the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago and was ordained a priest in 1982. He had served a number of positions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He’s additionally a fan of the Chicago White Sox skilled baseball workforce, in line with a WGN interview along with his brother John Prevost. 

contributed to this report.