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
Sept. 26, 2018 MI HB 5548 Establishes Online Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (107 - 0)
July 30, 2018 MA H 4834 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
July 9, 2018 ME LD 1912 Prohibit Campaign Fundraising at Voting Place Bill Passed - House (81 - 48)
July 2, 2018 CA AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 14)
June 29, 2018 NC HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
June 28, 2018 CA SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (53 - 23)
June 27, 2018 NC SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 45)
June 27, 2018 NC SB 813 Requires the Redistricting of Asheville City Council Districts Bill Passed - House (64 - 52)
June 27, 2018 NC HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
June 26, 2018 NC SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
June 26, 2018 NC HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
June 26, 2018 NC HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - House (74 - 44)
June 25, 2018 NJ A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
June 21, 2018 CA AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
June 21, 2018 NJ A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - House (49 - 23)
June 20, 2018 NC SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 42)
June 19, 2018 NC SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
June 19, 2018 RI S 2612 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
June 13, 2018 NC HB 496 Amends Placement of Candidates on Official Election Ballots Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 30)
June 13, 2018 PA SB 22 Establishes 11-Member Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
June 5, 2018 NC SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
June 5, 2018 NC SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 45)
May 17, 2018 LA HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 42)
May 17, 2018 LA SB 31 Prohibits Convicted Felons From Obtaining Public Office Bill Passed - House (70 - 24)
May 16, 2018 LA HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/26 HB 5548 Establishes Online Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (107 - 0)
7/30 H 4834 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
7/09 LD 1912 Prohibit Campaign Fundraising at Voting Place Bill Passed - House (81 - 48)
7/02 AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 14)
6/29 HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
6/28 SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (53 - 23)
6/27 SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 45)
6/27 SB 813 Requires the Redistricting of Asheville City Council Districts Bill Passed - House (64 - 52)
6/27 HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
6/26 SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
6/26 HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
6/26 HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - House (74 - 44)
6/25 A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
6/21 AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
6/21 A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - House (49 - 23)
6/20 SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - House (74 - 42)
6/19 SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
6/19 S 2612 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
6/13 HB 496 Amends Placement of Candidates on Official Election Ballots Laws Concurrence Vote Passed - House (80 - 30)
6/13 SB 22 Establishes 11-Member Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
6/05 SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
6/05 SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Bill Passed - House (70 - 45)
5/17 HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 42)
5/17 SB 31 Prohibits Convicted Felons From Obtaining Public Office Bill Passed - House (70 - 24)
5/16 HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)

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