During a papal conclave, the cardinals cast votes up to four times per day: two rounds in the morning and two rounds in the afternoon
. On the first day, there may be only one ballot, but from the second day onward, the voting schedule typically consists of these four ballots daily
. Each voting round involves all eligible cardinal electors casting their ballots, and after the ballots are counted, the results are announced via smoke signals-black smoke if no pope is elected, white smoke if a pope has been chosen
. In summary:
- First day: usually one vote (ballot)
- Subsequent days: up to four votes per day (two in the morning, two in the afternoon)
- Voting continues until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority (usually 89 votes out of about 133 electors)
- If no pope is elected after several days, voting pauses for prayer and reflection before resuming
This process ensures a thorough and deliberate election of the new pope.
