The election of a new pope through the papal conclave typically begins about 15 to 20 days after the papal vacancy, allowing time for funeral rites and the arrival of all cardinal electors

. The conclave is held in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinal electors vote in secret ballots. Voting occurs up to four times daily-twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon

. Each ballot is counted, and if no candidate achieves the required two-thirds majority, the ballots are burned producing black smoke to signal no decision

. When a candidate receives the two-thirds majority and accepts the election, white smoke is produced to announce the new pope

. There is no fixed time limit for how long the conclave can last. It continues until a candidate secures the two-thirds-plus-one majority vote. Historically, conclaves have lasted anywhere from a single day to nearly three years, though modern conclaves typically last only a few days

. For example, Pope Francis was elected in just two days in 2013 after five ballots

. If no pope is elected after three days of voting, the conclave pauses for a day of prayer and discussion before resuming

. In summary, the process to elect a new pope usually spans from a few days up to several weeks, beginning about two to three weeks after the previous pope’s death or resignation, and continuing with multiple daily ballots until a two- thirds majority is reached