▁this ▁case , ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁born ▁on ▁or ▁after ▁) ▁were ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁conc lave . ▁Although ▁not ▁a ▁formal ▁requirement , ▁the ▁cardinal ▁elect ors ▁invari ably ▁elect ▁the ▁po pe ▁from ▁among ▁their ▁number . ▁The ▁election ▁is ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁secret ▁ball ot ▁( ). ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁ 2 0 7 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Card inals ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁vac ancy ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁See , ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 1 7 ▁cardinal ▁elect ors ▁who ▁were ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁subsequent ▁conc lave . ▁Two ▁cardinal ▁elect ors ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate , ▁decre asing ▁the ▁number ▁in ▁attend ance ▁to ▁ 1 1 5 ▁( ▁of ▁all ▁cardinal ▁elect ors , ▁ ▁of ▁all ▁card inals ). ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁votes ▁required ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁po pe ▁with ▁a ▁two - third s ▁super major ity ▁was ▁. ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁ 1 1 5 ▁att ending ▁cardinal ▁elect ors , ▁ 4 ▁were ▁cardinal ▁b ish ops , ▁ 8 1 ▁were ▁cardinal ▁pri ests ▁and ▁ 3 0 ▁were ▁cardinal ▁de a cons ; ▁ 4 8 ▁had ▁been ▁created ▁card inals ▁by ▁Pope ▁John ▁Paul   II ▁and ▁ 6 7 ▁had ▁been ▁created ▁card inals ▁by ▁Pope ▁Bened ict   X VI ; ▁ 2 9 ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁See , ▁such ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁Roman ▁Cur ia , ▁ 6 1 ▁were ▁in