popular vote

[ pop-yuh-ler voht ]

noun

1. the vote for a U.S. presidential candidate made by the qualified voters, as opposed to that made by the Electoral College. Compare electoral vote.
2. the vote for a candidate, issue, etc., made by the qualified voters, as opposed to a vote made by elected representatives.

Word History and Origins

Origin of popular vote¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Example Sentences

When he did lose the popular vote in 2016 and the presidency in 2020, he claimed that those losses were unfair or the result of cheating.

From Washington Post

They succeeded in getting it to a popular vote in Berkeley, but it was ultimately defeated.

From Washington Post

Had there been no pandemic, he may have still lost the popular vote, but considering how close the election was, he may have had a decent chance of winning the Electoral College.

From FiveThirtyEight

Even if they can just consistently get to even on the popular vote, they could well control all of Washington.

From Washington Post

Despite such intense study, it has always been hard to prove that the King case provided the pivotal moment of such a close election, in which JFK won the popular vote by just 118,574 votes.

From Washington Post

MKO received the popular vote, but a military coup blocked him from taking power.

From The Daily Beast

Since then, GOP nominees have won the popular vote only once.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, Gore won the 2000 popular vote, and many people believe he won Florida, but in Tennessee, he lost by nearly four points.

From The Daily Beast

Sure, as the unskewed polls unraveled, Mr. 47 Percent lost—with just 47 percent of the popular vote.

From The Daily Beast

On Tuesday, the New York legislature approved a bill that would allow the Empire State to join the National Popular Vote Compact.

From The Daily Beast

By popular vote, beginning in 1886 (except in 1898), the liquor traffic was prohibited annually.

From Project Gutenberg

Calhoun's popularity with all parties resulted in his election as vice-president by a very large popular vote.

From Project Gutenberg

Certainly no Southern man can object to submitting these propositions to the popular vote.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1898 he was made county auditor of Columbia county by popular vote and in 1910 and 1911 served as councilman at large.

From Project Gutenberg

This pretence of a popular vote called out only 40,000 names, most of which belonged to soldiers of the invading army.

From Project Gutenberg