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
Compare meaning
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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.
"No development is possible without solid institutions and a government elected by popular vote," added Machado.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
When he ran in 1992, he received 18.9% of the popular vote, support that most pollsters said came equally from both parties, but garnered no electoral votes.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 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 still won 26 million votes, only about three million fewer than the BJP, and retained roughly 40% of the popular vote.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
While Jackson won the popular vote, none of the five candidates in the running that year received enough electoral votes to win.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
