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Who is allowed to vote for a new pope during a papal conclave?
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papal conclave
Cardinals assembled inside the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican Palace for a conclave to elect a new pope; Vatican City, 2005.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the right to vote for a new pope during a papal conclave is reserved for members of the Sacred College of Cardinals.
The specific eligibility requirements for these electors are as follows:
- Age Limit: Only cardinals who have not yet reached their 80th birthday are permitted to enter the conclave and cast a vote.12
- Participation: If a cardinal turns 80 while the conclave is already in session, he remains eligible to participate in the election.1
- Number of Electors: While Pope Paul VI established a nominal limit of 120 electors in 1975, all cardinals who meet the age requirement are expected to exercise their right to vote, even if the total number of eligible electors exceeds that limit.12
Although the selection is typically made from among the cardinals themselves, this is not a formal requirement of the process.2