popular vote

American  

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

noun

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

2. the vote for a candidate, issue, etc., made by the qualified voters, as opposed to a vote made by elected representatives.

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Etymology

Origin of popular vote

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Compare meaning

How does popular-vote compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• electoral vs. popular vote
• popular vote vs. electoral vote

Example Sentences

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

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 • Jan. 30, 2026

In the Buenos Aires election, the leading Peronist party, the Justicialists, won 47% of the popular vote.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

“So basically,” Scrap says, “you won the popular vote ’cause everybody loved you in the Ring, but you still lost the election since he the one getting fame?”

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas