popular vote

American

[pop-yuh-ler voht] / ˈpɒp yə lər ˈvoʊt /

noun

the vote for a U.S. presidential candidate made by the qualified voters, as opposed to that made by the Electoral College.
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.

They could reject the initiatives, sending them straight to the November 2026 ballot for a popular vote.

From The Wall Street Journal

But supporters of Poilievre credit him with delivering historic gains for the party, which received a record 41% of the popular vote last year.

From BBC

So he believes no decision on either the fate of Donetsk or the broader 20-point plan can be made without a popular vote and a 60-day ceasefire to prepare it: "A referendum is the way to accept it or not accept it."

From BBC

He reintroduced political parties and a free media, and was later endorsed by popular vote.

From BBC

For example, the “Popular vote margin of victory?” market saw almost $135 million in volume, making it Kalshi’s second-largest market by volume to date.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023