Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election.

The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff had submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of November's midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.

Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen" and has done so "whenever he was eligible to do so," the Holy See press office said.