And there were times when those who were displeased with the outcome appointed their own man, who was known as the antipope. But in 1059 Pope Nicholas II decreed that henceforth all papal electors must be cardinals, and in 1179 Pope Alexander III ruled that all cardinals would have an equal vote in the election. In 1274, Pope Gregory X decided that the cardinals must meet within 10 days of a pope's death, and that they should be kept in strict seclusion until a pope was chosen. By the late 1500s, most of the electoral procedures now used were in place. The pope can be elected by one of three methods.
Blank ballots are then prepared and distributed.
He then places his ballot in a container which is covered by a plate. After all votes are cast, the tellers tally the ballots and the result is read to the cardinals. If there is no winner, another vote is taken. If there is still no winner, two more votes are scheduled for the afternoon. After the votes are counted each time, the ballots are burned.