To elect a pope, the cardinals don’t need a fixed number of ballots ; they need to reach a two‑thirds majority , no matter how many ballots it takes.

Quick Scoop: Core Answer

  • The conclave continues voting until one candidate gets at least two‑thirds of the votes of all cardinal electors present.
  • There is no maximum number of ballots set in advance; in theory it can go on for many rounds over several days.
  • Typically, they hold up to four ballots per day (two in the morning, two in the afternoon) until someone reaches that two‑thirds threshold.

What “two‑thirds” looks like in practice

  • Recent norms describe a conclave of 133 cardinal electors , where a candidate would need 89 votes to be elected.
  • If the number of electors is different, the required number changes, but the rule stays the same: two‑thirds of those present and voting.

What Happens If They Keep Failing?

  • If no one is elected after several days (traditionally around 13 days), the cardinals don’t drop to a simple majority; the rule remains two‑thirds.
  • Instead, they move to runoff ballots between the two candidates with the most votes , but those two cannot vote for themselves, and the two‑thirds requirement still applies.

A Few Historical Notes

  • Earlier rules (under John Paul II) allowed a shift to simple majority after about 33–34 ballots , but this was revoked by Benedict XVI to protect a broad consensus for the new pope.
  • Recent conclaves have usually taken only a handful of ballots ; for example, Benedict XVI was elected on the second day after three ballots.

So the real answer to “how many ballots to elect a pope?” is:
As many as it takes for one candidate to get two‑thirds of the votes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.