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
April 11, 2011 GA HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20)
April 8, 2011 ND HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 18)
April 7, 2011 ND HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
April 6, 2011 MS SCR 692 Redistricting the State House and Senate Bill Passed - House (63 - 53)
April 6, 2011 MO HB 193 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (106 - 53)
April 6, 2011 AR SB 871 Congressional Redistricting Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
March 30, 2011 ID S 1198 Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
March 30, 2011 NH SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
March 24, 2011 FL HB 1207 Campaign Financing Act Veto Override Passed - House (81 - 39)
March 24, 2011 FL HB 1207 Campaign Financing Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
March 24, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (101 - 48)
March 22, 2011 AL HB 19 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
March 21, 2011 AR HB 1797 Requires Proof of Identity to Vote Bill Passed - House (53 - 36)
March 21, 2011 NJ S 2756 Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
March 16, 2011 GA SB 10 Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
March 14, 2011 NY S 3331 Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24)
March 14, 2011 OK SB 91 Proof of Presidential Candidates' Citizenship Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 10)
March 4, 2011 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws
March 4, 2011 MS JR 1 Redistricting for House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 56)
March 3, 2011 MT HB 521 Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws Bill Failed - House (45 - 54)
March 2, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (123 - 30)
March 2, 2011 WV HB 2732 Increased Fees for Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
Feb. 25, 2011 KS HB 2067 Voter Photographic Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 36)
Feb. 24, 2011 KS HB 2130 Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities Bill Passed - House (75 - 46)
Feb. 24, 2011 MO SJR 2 Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2011 UT SJR 9 Supervision of Public Education Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 GA HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
Feb. 22, 2011 CO HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 17, 2011 MO SB 3 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 17, 2011 ND HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
Feb. 10, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17)
Feb. 10, 2011 MA S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
Feb. 4, 2011 MT HB 180 Revise Close of Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (67 - 33)
Jan. 28, 2011 MT HB 130 Expansion of Elections that Can Be Conducted By Mail Bill Failed - House (42 - 57)
Jan. 26, 2011 SC H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - House (74 - 45)
Jan. 26, 2011 TX SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
Jan. 26, 2011 National HR 359 Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (239 - 160)
Jan. 24, 2011 VA SB 949 Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Jan. 4, 2011 IL SB 3976 Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process Bill Passed - House (67 - 46)
Sept. 23, 2010 National S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39)
Aug. 25, 2010 CA SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
Aug. 23, 2010 CA SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
July 27, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9)
July 27, 2010 National S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
July 20, 2010 MA H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
July 19, 2010 WV HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Motion Agreed - House (85 - 5)
July 17, 2010 WV HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Motion Rejected - House (51 - 34)
July 17, 2010 WV HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Bill Passed - House (46 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/11 HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 20)
4/08 HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (69 - 18)
4/07 HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
4/06 SCR 692 Redistricting the State House and Senate Bill Passed - House (63 - 53)
4/06 HB 193 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (106 - 53)
4/06 SB 871 Congressional Redistricting Plan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
3/30 S 1198 Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 7)
3/30 SB 129 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 6)
3/24 HB 1207 Campaign Financing Act Veto Override Passed - House (81 - 39)
3/24 HB 1207 Campaign Financing Act Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 9)
3/24 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (101 - 48)
3/22 HB 19 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 31)
3/21 HB 1797 Requires Proof of Identity to Vote Bill Passed - House (53 - 36)
3/21 S 2756 Authorizes Registered Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots Automatically Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
3/16 SB 10 Alcoholic Beverage Sales on Sundays Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 22)
3/14 S 3331 Non-Partisan Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 24)
3/14 SB 91 Proof of Presidential Candidates' Citizenship Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 10)
3/04 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws
3/04 JR 1 Redistricting for House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 56)
3/03 HB 521 Referendum to Revise Judicial Election Laws Bill Failed - House (45 - 54)
3/02 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (123 - 30)
3/02 HB 2732 Increased Fees for Lawsuits Bill Passed - House (65 - 35)
2/25 HB 2067 Voter Photographic Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (83 - 36)
2/24 HB 2130 Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities Bill Passed - House (75 - 46)
2/24 SJR 2 Constitutional Amendment Requiring Voter Photo Identification Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/23 SJR 9 Supervision of Public Education Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
2/22 HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/18 SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/17 SB 3 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/17 HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
2/10 H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 17)
2/10 S 9 Establishing a Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
2/04 HB 180 Revise Close of Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (67 - 33)
1/28 HB 130 Expansion of Elections that Can Be Conducted By Mail Bill Failed - House (42 - 57)
1/26 H 3003 Voter ID Bill Passed - House (74 - 45)
1/26 SB 14 Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
1/26 HR 359 Abolishing Federal Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns Bill Passed - House (239 - 160)
1/24 SB 949 Allowing Absentee Voting For Any Reason Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
1/04 SB 3976 Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process Bill Passed - House (67 - 46)
9/23 S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39)
8/25 SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
8/23 SB 970 College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
7/27 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - Senate (28 - 9)
7/27 S 3628 Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
7/20 H 4156 National Popular Vote Act Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34)
7/19 HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Motion Agreed - House (85 - 5)
7/17 HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Motion Rejected - House (51 - 34)
7/17 HB 201 Filling Senate Seat Vacancy Bill Passed - House (46 - 37)

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