Serious matters such as the Hokage election, of course, could not be decided through anonymous voting.
According to Konoha's long-established tradition, each Jōnin would write their own name on the ballot, along with the name of the candidate they supported.
Once every ballot had been collected, the moderators would publicly read them aloud—announcing both the voter's name and their chosen candidate—and tally the results on the spot.
Amid the tense silence, sheets of paper were distributed one by one into the hands of each Jōnin.
The decision for most had already been made well before today. Almost no one hesitated now; pens moved swiftly as each wrote down the name already fixed in their heart.
Senju Mori, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Uchiha Isshin were no exception.
They too were Jōnin of the village—and each held one precious vote of their own.
At the front of the conference room, beneath the moderators' platform, stood a ballot box sealed with a chakra-based fuinjutsu.
After filling out their ballots, each Jōnin—or a representative they personally authorized—would rise and step forward to place the vote into the sealed box.
When the reading began later, every single vote would be read aloud by name, both the voter and their chosen candidate, so that everyone could confirm their own ballot hadn't been tampered with.
All of this was done to eliminate, as much as possible, any chance of cheating.
The Jōnin maintained impeccable order throughout the process. Writing and casting the votes took little time at all.
When the final Jōnin returned to their seat after placing their ballot into the box, the entire chamber fell utterly silent—so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Sarutobi Sasuke drew a deep breath, just about to announce the next step, when the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from outside the door.
A moment later, the great doors of the conference room were pulled open from the outside.
Every head turned sharply, ready to see which fool dared interrupt the Jōnin confidence vote—only for every face to freeze in shock.
It was none other than Lady Uzumaki Mito, the widow of the First Hokage!
Dressed in a plain kimono bearing the red spiral crest of the Uzumaki clan, Mito entered the hall slowly and gracefully, flanked by two female attendants.
Her expression was calm as her gaze swept past each Jōnin, until she came to a stop beside the moderators' platform.
A nearby shinobi hurriedly fetched her a seat, but Mito did not sit down immediately.
Instead, she inclined her head politely toward Sarutobi Sasuke and Senju Tōka, then turned back to face the gathered Jōnin.
Her voice was gentle yet carried an unmistakable weight of authority:
"If you do not object, allow me to bear witness to today's proceedings."
It took a moment for Sarutobi Sasuke and Senju Tōka to recover from their surprise. They both stood and bowed deeply.
"It is our honor, Lady Mito."
Only after Mito had finally seated herself did the two moderators resume the process.
"Now—begin the reading of the votes!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The task of reading the ballots fell to several Chūnin who served as instructors at the Ninja Academy. It was their first time participating in a matter of such gravity—an election that would determine the next Hokage—and their voices trembled slightly with excitement.
Under the collective gaze of the entire assembly, three Chūnin wearing Konoha vests and academy armbands stepped forward through the crowd toward the front.
The one in the lead was named Umino Ikkaku—the father of the future renowned Umino Iruka. At this time, however, he was still a shy young man.
Because he had no family ties to any of the great clans and his work as an educator placed him outside factional disputes, he was chosen as one of the most neutral people for this role.
He took a deep breath, exchanged a quick nod with his two colleagues, and—before everyone's eyes—broke the chakra seal and opened the ballot box.
His hands moved stiffly, but his expression was solemn and focused, as if he were performing the most sacred ritual of his life.
"B–Begin… the reading of the votes!"
Umino Ikkaku's voice came out dry and tight from nervousness, but he quickly cleared his throat and managed to steady it.
He reached out with a slightly trembling hand, drew the first ballot from the box, carefully unfolded it, and read aloud—each word deliberate and clear:
"Jōnin Sarutobi Sasuke, votes for — Sarutobi Hiruzen."
"Jōnin Senju Tōka, votes for — Senju Mori."
"Jōnin Hatake Shūichi, votes for — Senju Mori."
"Jōnin Mitokado Homura, votes for — Sarutobi Hiruzen."
"Jōnin Uchiha Hino, votes for — Uchiha Isshin."
"Jōnin Akimichi Hiro, votes for…"
"…"
Although most had already anticipated it, when the name "Uchiha Isshin" was read aloud, many still couldn't help but cast curious glances toward the Uchiha side.
The Uchiha, however, acted as if they hadn't noticed at all.
As Umino Ikkaku continued to read, the other two Chūnin standing beside him took turns marking the tallies on a large wooden board at the front.
Every time a candidate's name was called, they would carve a deep notch into the board with a kunai. In the silence of the chamber, the scrape of metal against wood sounded sharp and distinct.
The count proceeded slowly but solemnly. The three Chūnin focused all their attention, terrified of making even the smallest slip. Below, over a hundred Jōnin watched their every move intently.
The tallies for each candidate rose alternately on the board. Feeling the heat of so many gazes burning into his back, Umino Ikkaku's flak jacket was already soaked through with sweat.
Whenever he came to the name of one of the village's "big figures," he would unconsciously pause for half a second—just to make sure he didn't misread a single syllable.
Umino Ikkaku knew that every word he uttered could shape the village's future.
After finishing a string of ballots from the Uchiha clan, his fingers brushed the next one. He unfolded it as usual—only for his pupils to suddenly widen, his breath catching in his throat.
It took every ounce of willpower to steady himself before he finally called out, voice ringing loud and clear:
"Jōnin Nara Shikayuki, votes for — Senju Mori!"
The words struck the room like an explosion.
"What?!"
Down below, several Jōnin couldn't contain their gasps of shock.
Already tense to the limit, Umino Ikkaku nearly dropped the ballot from his hands at the sudden uproar.
He glanced helplessly toward the moderators' podium—only to see Senju Tōka give him a firm, encouraging look, while Sarutobi Sasuke barked out sharply:
"Silence! No disruptions allowed!"
Umino Ikkaku immediately realized his lapse. He took a deep breath, forcing himself back into focus—but the contents of the next few ballots made his heartbeat quicken all over again.
"Jōnin Nara Tsukasa, votes for — Senju Mori!"
"Jōnin Nara Iwagō, votes for — Senju Mori!"
"Jōnin Nara …, votes for — Senju Mori!"
"Jōnin Nara Shikajō, votes for — Senju Mori!"
The Nara clan's ballots had clearly been submitted together—and every single one of them, without exception, had been cast for Senju Mori.