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
Feb. 7, 2007 MS SB 2617 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2007 SD SJR 7 Extension of Term Limits Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
Feb. 5, 2007 ND SB 2143 Clean Election Fund Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 33)
Jan. 31, 2007 ND SB 2230 Mail Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
Jan. 30, 2007 ND HB 1378 County Vote Centers Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
Jan. 29, 2007 VA SB 920 Requirements For Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Jan. 25, 2007 VA SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 286 Appointment of the Superintendent of Education Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 284 The Appointment of the Adjutant General Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 285 The Appointment of the Comptroller General Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 287 The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 288 Appointment of the Secretary of State Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13)
Jan. 24, 2007 SC S 101 Reorganization of the State Government Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23)
Jan. 23, 2007 VA SJ 352 Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Jan. 17, 2007 VA HB 1977 Inaugural Committee Finance Reform Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Dec. 4, 2006 NJ S 2193 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
Sept. 20, 2006 National HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
Aug. 16, 2006 CA SCA 3 Redistricting Commission Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
July 26, 2006 NC HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52)
July 19, 2006 NC HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
July 13, 2006 National HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
June 16, 2006 LA SB 382 Gift Ban on Cultural and Sporting Events for Elected Officials Motion Agreed - House (49 - 43)
June 15, 2006 RI LCO # 2223/6 Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 36)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/07 SB 2617 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15)
2/06 SJR 7 Extension of Term Limits Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18)
2/05 SB 2143 Clean Election Fund Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 33)
1/31 SB 2230 Mail Ballot Elections Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14)
1/30 HB 1378 County Vote Centers Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
1/29 SB 920 Requirements For Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
1/25 SJ 307 Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
1/24 S 286 Appointment of the Superintendent of Education Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19)
1/24 S 284 The Appointment of the Adjutant General Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18)
1/24 S 285 The Appointment of the Comptroller General Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11)
1/24 S 287 The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15)
1/24 S 288 Appointment of the Secretary of State Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13)
1/24 S 101 Reorganization of the State Government Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23)
1/23 SJ 352 Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
1/17 HB 1977 Inaugural Committee Finance Reform Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
12/04 S 2193 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5)
9/20 HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
8/16 SCA 3 Redistricting Commission Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
7/26 HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52)
7/19 HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 18)
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 6)
7/13 HR 9 Voting Rights Act Reauthorization Bill Passed - House (390 - 33)
6/16 SB 382 Gift Ban on Cultural and Sporting Events for Elected Officials Motion Agreed - House (49 - 43)
6/15 LCO # 2223/6 Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (25 - 36)

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