Pope Francis was elected on the fifth ballot of the 2013 papal conclave. He received at least 77 votes, which was the two-thirds majority required for election at that time, with reports suggesting he had around 85 votes on the final ballot
. The rule for electing a pope requires a two-thirds supermajority of the cardinal electors present. In 2013, the exact number of votes needed was 77 out of 115 electors, reflecting the two-thirds majority rule
. This rule remains the standard for papal elections, meaning a candidate must secure two-thirds of the votes to be validly elected pope
. In summary, Pope Francis was elected with at least 77 votes, representing a two-thirds majority of the cardinal electors in the 2013 conclave