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

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

Under Iran's constitution, the selection of a new supreme leader falls to the Assembly of Experts - an 88-member clerical body elected by popular vote for eight-year terms.

From BBC

Before discussing the Payne proposal further, let me describe Arizona’s long and unique history of putting methods of execution to a popular vote.

From Slate

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