VOTING: At 2.30 this afternoon the 115 cardinal electors will gather at the Hall of Blessings in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace from where they will walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel.
There the Dean of College of Cardinals, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, will read out the oath of secrecy. Each cardinal will then state his name and place his hand on the Gospel. He will then say "I promise, pledge and swear", acknowledging his acceptance of being bound by the oath.
If a majority of cardinal electors so decide the balloting will begin this afternoon. They may, however, defer the initial ballot until tomorrow morning. If they go ahead this afternoon there will be just one ballot today. On following days there will be two ballots each morning and two each afternoon.
Ballot papers are distributed by an elected master of ceremonies, with each elector receiving two, possibly three ballots.
An elector writes his chosen candidate in the lower half of the ballot, disguising his handwriting. The ballot is then folded in two. Each cardinal elector holds up his folded ballot and carries it to the altar where three scrutineers, also cardinals, await and it is placed in a receptacle.
After all votes have been cast, a scrutineer takes out each ballot and notes the name chosen and passes it to a second scrutineer. He also notes the name chosen and passes the ballot to a third scrutineer who reads the name aloud.
When all ballots have been opened the votes are counted and written down. The votes for each individual voted for are added up and if no one receives the required two-thirds majority another ballot begins.
