popular vote
Americannoun
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the vote for a U.S. presidential candidate made by the qualified voters, as opposed to that made by the Electoral College.
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the vote for a candidate, issue, etc., made by the qualified voters, as opposed to a vote made by elected representatives.
Etymology
Origin of popular vote
An Americanism dating back to 1830–40
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The BJP has been a major force in Bengal for three successive elections, consistently polling around 39% of the popular vote," says Rahul Verma, who is a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
President George W. Bush had won reelection with not just a plurality, but a majority of the popular vote.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
That November, my home state became one of the first in the country to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
However, it is unlikely to do so given that its members are first vetted by the Guardian Council before being elected by a popular vote of Iranian men and women ages 18 and older.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
The Council of Elders languished in prison, and new council members were elected by popular vote.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
