I have always liked the idea of the pope obviously being elected.
To that end, I think every Christian ruler should have an NPC cardinal to vote, and of course any cardinals selected by the Vatican themselves would have a vote too. Nice and simple
Everyone can play a priest as NPC, although it should stay within the confines of RP and they should not hold any actual power unless given a position by the pope. And perhaps the pope would also have to keep a list of recognised NPC's and PC's. Who said being pope was easy?
The list should be public, btw.

And each player writing as an NPC should perhaps open their post with: "As <insert name here>"

There is such a list Link: here
Not every king can have a Cardinal / Bishop because in the case of christian, is not the king who name them, but the Church.

I meant it more from the aspect that every Christian king should have a vote (which obviously needs a cardinal).

It's good that there is a list though, because I've definitly lost overview

God help me, I happen in this case to agree with Gregory...

I happen to believe the same: nations should bring the candidates to the Church, and the Church should decide they are fit or not for the task...

But unlike the Papality, I believe it is not for one man to decide that, but a Conclave/Synode.

Yes...because ballot box rigging and politicking are tooo easy with only one decider.
(Again we speak of KH the game....not RL, where each candidate is already approved and investigated looooong before seeing His Holiness.)

ballot rigging etc goes on everywhere