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.
Elected in 2024 with nearly 50% of the popular vote, the president’s national job-approval rating stands at 38%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Twelve years later, although he received 16.6% of the popular vote, the third-party run of progressive Robert LaFollette was less consequential; he only carried Wisconsin and its 13 electoral votes.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
In a leafy eastern district of the capital on Tuesday, around 300 pro-Machado demonstrators reiterated their demand for a popular vote to be held.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Monterey Park became the first city in the country earlier this month to permanently ban data centers by a popular vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
“It’s an outrage!” says McGuinty, leaning slightly toward Norma now that he sees he’s got the popular vote.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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