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Popes, first as Bishops of Rome and then as the leaders of the Universal Church, were always elected even though the electoral process and those involved in the election have changed considerably throughout the two thousand plus years of Church history. During the early years of the Church, the Bishops of Rome (and there were probably several) were elected like all other bishops by the people and priests of the diocese. At a later stage, the clergy dominated the electoral process, largely excluding the laity; finally, in 1179, the election was limited to the cardinals.
The current electoral process is fairly easy and straightforward. Immediately after the Pope dies or resigns, messages go out to the cardinals ordering them to come to Rome since it is their exclusive responsibility to elect his successor. According to the rules of procedure specified by John Paul II, the conclave must begin no less than fifteen days or more than twenty days after the Pope’s death. During that time, as the cardinals assemble, there is enormous and intense speculation about who will be elected Pope. Unprecedented press coverage of the event takes place since thousands of journalists have been accredited to the Vatican. It is also during this run-up period that the cardinals engage in political negotiations, form alliances, and pick candidates. This brief time of press scrutiny, during which leading cardinals will be called upon to give many interviews about issues that a new Pope will have to confront, is both a period of opportunity and danger for leading candidates. One misstatement can severely undercut the credibility of a leading candidate, while an astutely worded response to a reporter’s question can catapult a dark horse into the lead.
After the fifteen- or twenty-day span, the cardinals file into the Sistine Chapel for the conclave at which the new Pope will be elected, and all cardinals must take an oath of secrecy before voting can begin. A successful candidate must receive a two-thirds majority of the cardinal electors. If the number of electors cannot be divided evenly into thirds, the requirement becomes two-thirds plus one. At the end of each vote, the ballots are burned and a special chemical is added to produce either black smoke indicating no Pope has been elected or white smoke indicating that a new Pope has been chosen. According to a rule imposed by John Paul II in 1996, after about thirty ballots or twelve days, a Pope can be elected with only 50 percent plus one of the votes. Given the nature of the electoral process and the desire on the part of the cardinals not to leave the Church leaderless any longer than is absolutely necessary, it is unlikely that this rule will ever be invoked.
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