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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2011 | IL | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| May 31, 2011 | LA | SB 108 | Limits Tax and Bond Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| May 30, 2011 | NV | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| May 27, 2011 | IL | SB 1177 | General Assembly Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 22) |
| May 26, 2011 | NE | LB 704 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| May 26, 2011 | NE | LB 703 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| May 25, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 21, 2011 | TX | HB 150 | 2011-2012 Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 21, 2011 | TN | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| May 18, 2011 | NC | HB 658 | Amending Early Voting Period | Bill Passed - House (60 - 58) |
| May 18, 2011 | CT | HB 6342 | Attorney General Candidate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (91 - 51) |
| May 18, 2011 | NV | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 29) |
| May 17, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| May 16, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
| May 16, 2011 | OK | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| May 13, 2011 | MN | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| May 12, 2011 | RI | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| May 11, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| May 11, 2011 | KS | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| May 11, 2011 | WI | AB 7 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| May 10, 2011 | CO | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| May 10, 2011 | NV | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| May 9, 2011 | NJ | S 2756 | Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| May 9, 2011 | TX | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| May 9, 2011 | CA | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| May 6, 2011 | MN | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (69 - 58) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| May 4, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| May 3, 2011 | OK | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
| April 28, 2011 | VA | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| April 28, 2011 | IN | HB 1602 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| April 28, 2011 | TX | HB 150 | 2011-2012 Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| April 27, 2011 | IN | HB 1601 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| April 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| April 14, 2011 | TN | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| April 14, 2011 | IA | HF 682 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
| April 13, 2011 | LA | HB 6 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| April 13, 2011 | MO | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| April 13, 2011 | LA | HB 6 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| April 13, 2011 | AZ | HB 2177 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| April 12, 2011 | GA | SB 10 | Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (127 - 44) |
| April 12, 2011 | AR | SB 972 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 12, 2011 | AR | SB 972 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 20) |
| April 11, 2011 | VA | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| April 11, 2011 | LA | HB 1 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| April 11, 2011 | LA | SB 1 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/31 | SB 1178 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (34 - 25) |
| 5/31 | SB 108 | Limits Tax and Bond Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 5/30 | AB 301 | Voting Privileges for Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8) |
| 5/27 | SB 1177 | General Assembly Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 22) |
| 5/26 | LB 704 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11) |
| 5/26 | LB 703 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 9) |
| 5/25 | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/21 | HB 150 | 2011-2012 Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 5/21 | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (65 - 20) |
| 5/20 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 14) |
| 5/20 | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 5/18 | HB 658 | Amending Early Voting Period | Bill Passed - House (60 - 58) |
| 5/18 | HB 6342 | Attorney General Candidate Qualifications | Bill Passed - House (91 - 51) |
| 5/18 | AB 566 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (26 - 16) |
| 5/17 | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 29) |
| 5/17 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 28) |
| 5/16 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - House (98 - 46) |
| 5/16 | HB 2145 | State House Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (43 - 4) |
| 5/13 | HF 1426 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (71 - 61) |
| 5/12 | S 400 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6) |
| 5/11 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (26 - 16) |
| 5/11 | SB 129 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Rejected - Senate (15 - 23) |
| 5/11 | AB 7 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (60 - 35) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (25 - 17) |
| 5/10 | HB 1319 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (33 - 32) |
| 5/10 | SB 497 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
| 5/09 | S 2756 | Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 5/09 | SB 14 | Voter Identification Requirements | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 12) |
| 5/09 | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 5/06 | HF 1425 | Legislative Redistricting Plan | Bill Passed - House (69 - 58) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - Senate (28 - 6) |
| 5/04 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting Plan | Veto Override Passed - House (109 - 44) |
| 5/03 | HB 1527 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 5) |
| 4/28 | HB 5005 | Redistricting for State Senate and House | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (63 - 7) |
| 4/28 | HB 1602 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 4/28 | HB 150 | 2011-2012 Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (92 - 54) |
| 4/27 | HB 1601 | Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12) |
| 4/26 | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
| 4/14 | SB 16 | Voter Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (57 - 35) |
| 4/14 | HF 682 | Congressional and Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 1) |
| 4/13 | HB 6 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 35) |
| 4/13 | HB 193 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11) |
| 4/13 | HB 6 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13) |
| 4/13 | HB 2177 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 4/12 | SB 10 | Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays | Bill Passed - House (127 - 44) |
| 4/12 | SB 972 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/12 | SB 972 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (61 - 20) |
| 4/11 | HB 5001 | Legislative Redistricting | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 4/11 | HB 1 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 9) |
| 4/11 | SB 1 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (71 - 28) |