cross-posted from: https://piefed.ca/c/politics@lemmy.world/p/1043122/pope-leo-will-vote-from-the-vatican-by-mail-in-illinois-midterm-election
How does this work exactly? I thought you had to be a full-time resident of the state (>50% of the year) to cast a ballot in that state’s elections?
If he had moved to Indiana full time last year, he wouldn’t be able to vote in Illinois elections this year. But since he moved to a foreign country full time last year instead, he can?
I wonder if he is the first Head of State of a foreign country who is also a US Citizen and actively participates in voting here.
(I know there have been other foreign politicians, like Boris Johnson, who technically had US citizenship due to being born here, but they never exercised it and had to formally renounce it before entering leadership, but this is different).
It’s even weirder since there was a lot of angst when Kennedy was running for office, as a Catholic, that he would be forced to take orders from the Vatican. Now, the Pope has a Member of Congress representing him. It would be ironic if that person is an athiest…
Wait, Boris Johnson was born in the US?
Huh. TIL.
Slightly related note: Benjamin Netanyahu went to high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
WHAT. Thanks, I hate it
West Philadelphia born and raised?
A recent The Bitchuation Room/Bad Hasbara live podcast in Philly gave them so much shit for that, calling him “your boy” to a staunchly anti-zionist crowd 😄
I wonder if he is the first Head of State of a foreign country who is also a US Citizen and actively participates in voting here.
Does Putin count?
No, he doesn’t get a formal vote, he just gets permanent veto power from whatever kompromat he has on Trump
He’s not a US citizen. Never has been
He does actively participate in the elections.
That’s debatable. You could say he indirectly participates.
Does that count as active? I don’t knowIf he’s doing it on purpose, it’s active.
Btw BoJo wasn’t head of state, that’s the monarch.
I feel like the powerful eventually found it less bothersome and safer to rule by proxy through prime ministers and the like
Oh, definitely. The throne of the English crown in Australia and Canada is said to be a relic and not active. They just collect taxes, lead sequestered lives letting democracy govern the land. Basically, they’re the best paid “jobless” that I’ve ever seen.
There was the recent prime minister of Latvia, who is still American afaik, but he probably didn’t vote.
Also the president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa.
Not sure the last part is that ironic, since he most likely believes in the separation of church and state.
he most likely believes in the separation of church and state
He’s literally the head of state because he’s head of the church. He’s the personified antithesis of the separation you’re claiming he’s in favor of 😄
The Catholic church has a lot of very real very destructive problems happening, especially its entire pedophile cover ups problem. Be angry at the legitimately harmful stuff, not this “he’s a 100% irredeemable evil hypocrite because he’s a religious figure and head of state is possibly suggesting other nation not follow their example” nonsense.
Be angry at the pedo shit, not this pure ideology testing nonsense. I dont particularly give a shit if he’s the head of state and head of the religion of a state that is over a milennium of treaties and compromises of European monarchs to create a sense of political-religious neutrality between their nations that doesn’t particularly matter all that much in 2026. He seems to broadly support the extremely recent (in comparison to the Catholic Church) understanding of the separation of church and state.
Be angry at the legitimately harmful stuff
I am.
he’s a 100% irredeemable evil hypocrite because he’s a religious figure and head of state
Way to put words and sentiments in my mouth lol.
While I’m not a fan of theocracies under any circumstances, I’m never going to BEGIN to suggest that being a theocracy is one of the 50 worst thing about the reverse Robin Hood atrocity factory that is the Catholic Church.
I dont particularly give a shit if he’s the head of state and head of the religion
I mean, it’s not like I APPROVE the least bit but yeah, I totally agree that it’s very small potatoes compared to all the radioactive horse apples…
He seems to broadly support the extremely recent (in comparison to the Catholic Church) understanding of the separation of church and state.
Does he, though? I mean, if he does, he’s the epitome of hypocrisy.
Might as well tell me that Miss Rachel is a zionist who can’t stand kids or Bill Maher is a devout Muslim who hates attention 😄
Touche. Maybe more of a hypocrite then.
He better get that thing post-marked a.s.a.p.
How is this Oniony? I don’t get it. What’s the joke?
This is the first American Pope in history. Prior to Leo, the concept of the Pope voting in an American election would be preposterous. But he’s from Illinois, so he gets to vote.
The world has been so ridiculous lately, it’s been harder for The Onion. They have to get more extreme to match the current news. People forget that they used to do more simple, silly headlines, like this.
What’s with the color here. Dude looks like a vampire.
I mean, he has lung cancer and recently underwent surgery. At his age, being on two feet after that is a win. Edit: he’s only 71, maybe I overstated it a bit.
Why is he allowed to vote? He is the head of state of Vatican City and that is where is permanent residence is. Doesn’t Illinois have any residency requirements?
Citizens living abroad can vote, generally by mail and at the last U.S. location where they were registered
Officially he will be pope until he dies. He is not living abroad, he has reached his final destination.
Not being a resident doesn’t stop the USA to collect tax, so why would he not be allowed to vote? I get some difference between state and federal level but I don’t think one should exclude the other in this case.
Why is he allowed to vote?
Becau$e? 🤷🏻
