An electoral vote is a vote cast by a member of the electoral college. (http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-electoral-votes-definition-lesson-quiz.html) The difference between a popular vote and an electoral vote is that a popular vote is directly counted and an electoral vote is a vote by someone appointed by the state to vote for the president. To win the election you must have at least 270 electoral votes. You do not necessarily need more popular votes to win the election. (http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-electoral-votes-definition-lesson-quiz.html)