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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 30, 2012 | CT | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
| April 26, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |
| April 26, 2012 | MS | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
| April 11, 2012 | NH | SB 202 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (239 - 95) |
| April 10, 2012 | AZ | SB 1449 | Establishes a Recall Primary Election for a Recall Election | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| April 10, 2012 | MS | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| April 5, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| April 4, 2012 | LA | HB 209 | Reduces Voting Hours | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| April 4, 2012 | CT | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| April 3, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| March 29, 2012 | MO | HB 1046 | Requires Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates | Bill Passed - House (92 - 49) |
| March 29, 2012 | MI | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| March 28, 2012 | NH | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112) |
| March 28, 2012 | OH | SB 295 | Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| March 27, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| March 22, 2012 | FL | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| March 21, 2012 | AZ | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| March 21, 2012 | NH | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| March 20, 2012 | MN | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| March 20, 2012 | AZ | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (36 - 20) |
| March 20, 2012 | CO | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| March 15, 2012 | KY | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| March 14, 2012 | PA | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| March 14, 2012 | NY | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/30 | HB 5024 | Authorizes Election Day Registration | Bill Passed - House (83 - 59) |
| 4/26 | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 39) |
| 4/26 | JR 1 | State House Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (70 - 50) |
| 4/11 | SB 202 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (239 - 95) |
| 4/10 | SB 1449 | Establishes a Recall Primary Election for a Recall Election | Bill Passed - House (36 - 22) |
| 4/10 | HB 921 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 14) |
| 4/05 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29) |
| 4/04 | HB 209 | Reduces Voting Hours | Bill Passed - House (60 - 41) |
| 4/04 | HJ 2 | Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason | Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50) |
| 4/03 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57) |
| 3/29 | HB 1046 | Requires Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates | Bill Passed - House (92 - 49) |
| 3/29 | HB 5061 | Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots | Bill Passed - House (65 - 45) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 3/28 | HB 592 | State House Redistricting | Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112) |
| 3/28 | SB 295 | Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 3/27 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47) |
| 3/22 | SJR 2B | State Senate Redistricting | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6) |
| 3/21 | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9) |
| 3/21 | SB 318 | Requires In-State Residency to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 5) |
| 3/20 | HF 2738 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (72 - 62) |
| 3/20 | HB 2862 | Appropriates Funds for Independent Redistricting Commission | Bill Passed - House (36 - 20) |
| 3/20 | HB 1111 | Voter Identification Amendments | Bill Passed - House (33 - 31) |
| 3/15 | SB 18 | Amends Redistricting Requirements | Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 3/14 | HB 934 | Amends Voter Identification Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (104 - 88) |
| 3/14 | A 9525 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0) |