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:
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.
| 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) |