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# Click here for a new Pope
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/19309/
- Published: 2005-04-05T14:04:38.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:33:05.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:15

Surely, it's only a matter of time now before someone sets up a website that lets you vote online for the next pope. There have been quite a few articles on how the next pope needs to be [hip to technology](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/04/international/europe/04challenges.html?ex=1270267200&en=ca3e0cdb3ad19ef0&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&ref=opendemocracy.net) and new media, and certainly the old pope [blessed the internet](http://www.op.org/domcentral/comday.htm?ref=opendemocracy.net) and was an early adaptor - the Vatican has had a [website](http://www.vatican.va/?ref=opendemocracy.net) since 1999\. In these past days, journalists were informed of the Pope's health and eventual passing by official [Vatican SMS messages](http://www.smartmobs.com/archive/2005/04/03/vatican%5Fused%5Fsm.html?ref=opendemocracy.net).

On [3QuarksDaily a reader suggests](http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2005/04/whos%5Fthe%5Fnew%5Fpo.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) a wiki with information about each candidate, and a feedback system that helps the 117 cardinals come to a decision. e-Democracy meets the Catholic church. "Do we even need the Church or can we DIY this?" asks [Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing](http://www.boingboing.net/2005/04/05/next%5Fpope%5Fchoose%5Fby%5F.html?ref=opendemocracy.net). It may seem silly now, but I sincerely believe this will happen someday. How else would you poll[ 1 billion Catholics](http://cym.perthcatholic.org.au/whynot/comparitive.php?ref=opendemocracy.net) around the world? The difficult part is getting the Church to care what they think in the first place.