The national popular vote means adding together all the votes cast for each presidential candidate across the entire United States. The candidate with the most votes nationwide would win.
How it could support the majority
- Count every vote toward the same total: Votes would be combined nationally rather than counted separately by state to determine the winner.
- Choose the candidate with the most support: The winner would be the candidate who received more votes across the country.
- Make votes matter more evenly: A vote for a candidate could contribute to the national result regardless of whether it was cast in a large or small state, or in a state where that candidate was popular or unpopular.
This could make the outcome reflect the choice of the national popular majority—the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidate nationwide. One important detail: with more than two candidates, the winner might receive a plurality (more votes than each other candidate) without receiving over 50% of all votes. So a national popular vote does not automatically guarantee that the winner has support from an absolute majority unless the election system includes a way to ensure that, such as a runoff.
Today, the United States uses the Electoral College to choose the president. Under that system, state results determine electoral votes, so the national popular-vote leader does not always win the presidency.