Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 30, 2013 WY HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Jan. 28, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
Jan. 25, 2013 WY SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
Jan. 24, 2013 RI H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
Jan. 23, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
Jan. 8, 2013 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
Jan. 1, 2013 National HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
Jan. 1, 2013 National HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
Dec. 21, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 20, 2012 National HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
Dec. 6, 2012 MI SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Dec. 4, 2012 IL SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
Dec. 3, 2012 NJ A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
Nov. 30, 2012 National HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/30 HB 168 Authorizes Same-Sex Civil Unions Bill Failed - House (25 - 34)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
1/28 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 9)
1/25 SF 104 Establishes the Director Position in the Department of Education Bill Passed - House (39 - 20)
1/24 H 5015 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (51 - 19)
1/23 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - House (285 - 144)
1/08 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - House (65 - 46)
1/01 HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
1/01 HR 6726 Congressional Pay Freeze and Fiscal Responsibility Act Bill Passed - House (287 - 129)
12/21 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (81 - 14)
12/20 HR 4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 Conference Report Adopted - House (315 - 107)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/20 HR 6684 Spending Reduction Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (215 - 209)
12/06 HB 4003 Limits Labor Organization Activities: Public Entities Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 4)
12/06 SB 116 Prohibits Employees from Being Required to Join a Labor Union Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
12/04 SB 957 Authorizes Temporary Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 14)
12/03 S 2157 Establishes Residential Foreclosure Bill Passed - House (43 - 32)
12/03 A 2166 Requires Legislative Approval of Port Authority Minutes Bill Passed - House (44 - 31)
11/30 HR 6429 STEM Jobs Act of 2012 Bill Passed - House (245 - 139)

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