Following the death of Paul VI on August 6, 1978, the first conclave of the year was held on August 25–26 in Vatican City. Giuseppe Cardinal Siri and Giovanni Cardinal Benelli were among the favorites. However Benelli favoured Albino Luciani, Patriarch of Venice, and he was elected as a candidate of compromise. Luciani choose John Paul I as his papal name. It was also an unusal conclave in that the future Popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI were also present. It is unusual in recent times to have more than one future pope in a conclave

The election was one of the plot elements of the movie The Godfather Part III.

Eligibility to vote and alleged results

Several authors have provided what they claim to be the vote totals at the conclave. Although this evidence must be viewed as questionable, it cannot be dismissed out of hand. Details of papal conclaves are not supposed to be mentioned by those involved under threat of excommunication, but this was the first conclave which excluded cardinals over the age of 80 (their ineligibilty having been decreed by Paul VI in 1970). Cardinals over 80 are still allowed to participate in the prepatory meetings - and they were not required to take the same oath of secrecy during the 1978 conclaves. It is possible that one of these elderly cardinals may have revealed the details.

From the 2005 conclave onwards, cardinals over 80 will be required to take the same oath of secrecy if they want to participate in the prepatory meetings.

Yallop tally

As presented by David Yallop in In God's Name (ISBN 0553050737), a book which claims that John Paul I was murdered:

• First Ballot: Siri 25, Luciani 23, Pignedoli 18, Lorscheider 12, Baggio 9, scattered 24.

• Second Ballot: Siri 35, Luciani 30, Pignedoli 15, Lorscheider 12, scattered 19.

• Third Ballot: Luciani 68, Siri 15, Pignedoli 10, scattered 18.

• Fourth Ballot: Luciani 99, Siri 11, Pignedoli 1 (the vote of Albino Luciani).

Burkle-Young tally

As presented by Francis A. Burkle-Young in PASSING THE KEYS (ISBN 1568331304):

• First Ballot: Siri 25, Luciani 23, Pignedoli 18, Baggio 9, König 8, Bertoli 5, Pironio 4, Felici 2, Lorscheider 2, and 15 others one each.

• Second Ballot: Luciani 53, Siri 24, Pignedoli 15, Lorscheider, Baggio, Cordeiro, Wojtyla 4 each, Felici 3.

• Third Ballot: Luciani 92, Pignedoli 17, Lorscheider 2.

• Fourth Ballot: Luciani 102, Lorscheider 1 (cast by Luciani), Nemini (no one) 8.

Thomas-Witts tally

As presented by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts in PONTIFF (ISBN 0451129512):

• First Ballot: same as Burkle-Young's count except 5 votes for Pironio, fourteen candidates with 1.

• Second Ballot: Luciani 46, Pignedoli 19, Lorscheider 14, Baggio 11, Bertoli 4, others unspecified.

• Third Ballot: Luciani 66, Pignedoli 21, Lorscheider 1 (cast by Aramburu), others unspecified.

• Fourth Ballot: Luciani 96, Pignedoli 10, Lorscheider 1 (cast by Aramburu).