AssetID: 56116226
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Pope Leo Requests Illinois Ballot To Vote In US Midterms
Caption: Pope Leo Requests Illinois Ballot To Vote In US Midterms. Pope Leo XIV has requested an absentee ballot in Illinois, potentially making him the first pope to vote in a U.S. election. Leo, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, requested the ballot on 3 October to be sent to his residence in Vatican City. The Will County Clerk's Office said it has not yet received a completed ballot and it remains unclear whether Leo has filled it out or mailed it. The Chicago-born pontiff became the first American pope in May 2025 and remains a registered voter in Illinois. Leo has criticised some President Donald Trump administration policies, including its approach to immigration and the U.S. war against Iran. Trump previously said he was "not a big fan of Pope Leo", while the pontiff responded that he had "no fear of the Trump administration”. Public records show Leo voted in the 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2024 general elections and participated in Republican primaries in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Illinois voters do not register by political party and can choose which party's primary ballot to cast in each election cycle. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Pope Leo XIV,Robert Francis Prevost,Illinois,US midterms,Donald Trump,absentee ballot,Vatican City,Will County,Pope,US elections,voting,Catholic Church,mail-in ballot,Illinois politics,midterm elections
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