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
June 6, 2007 ME LD 203 Student Voter Registration Bill "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (90 - 49)
May 12, 2007 AK SCS CSHB 109 Disclosure & Ethics Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 0)
May 2, 2007 IL HB 858 Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (65 - 50)
April 24, 2007 TX HB 218 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - House (76 - 69)
April 19, 2007 National HR 1905 District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (241 - 177)
April 17, 2007 WI AJR 17 Voter Identification Constitutional Amendment Bill Passed - House (54 - 43)
April 13, 2007 TX HB 2017 Early Presidential Primary Bill Passed - House (123 - 12)
April 6, 2007 MD SB 634 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (84 - 54)
April 6, 2007 MD SB 1 Early Voting Bill Passed - House (107 - 32)
April 5, 2007 HI SB 1956 Popular Vote Presidential Election Bill Passed - House (35 - 12)
April 3, 2007 KS HB 2019 Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Failed - House (61 - 61)
April 2, 2007 MD HB 148 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (85 - 54)
March 29, 2007 NC CS HB 91 One-Stop Registration and Voting Sites Bill Passed - House (66 - 45)
March 26, 2007 MD SB 488 Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
March 20, 2007 IA HF 653 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
March 20, 2007 GA HCS HB 487 President Primary Date Change Act Bill Passed - House (154 - 11)
March 15, 2007 KS Amend HB 2542 Presidential Primary Funding Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34)
March 15, 2007 NJ S 2193 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (57 - 20)
March 7, 2007 OK HCS HB 1734 Photo Identification Voting Requirement Bill Passed - House (58 - 38)
March 7, 2007 OK HCS HB 2095 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
March 6, 2007 CA SB 113 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
March 3, 2007 SD HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 22)
Feb. 28, 2007 KY HCS HB 70 Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
Feb. 27, 2007 IN HB 1808 Vote by Mail Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
Feb. 19, 2007 AZ HB 2090 Early Ballot Verification Notice Bill Failed - House (24 - 31)
Feb. 16, 2007 MD HB 201 Early Voting Bill Passed - House (101 - 31)
Feb. 13, 2007 SD HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
Feb. 8, 2007 ND HB 1336 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Failed - House (31 - 60)
Jan. 30, 2007 ND HB 1378 County Vote Centers Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
Jan. 17, 2007 VA HB 1977 Inaugural Committee Finance Reform Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
Sept. 20, 2006 National HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
July 26, 2006 NC HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52)
July 13, 2006 MA H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
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)
June 14, 2006 SC H 4410 Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill Veto Override Failed - House (73 - 40)
June 6, 2006 RI H 6874 Ballot Questions from Governor Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 23)
May 30, 2006 CA AB 2948 Electoral College: Interstate Compact Bill Passed - House (49 - 31)
May 26, 2006 TN HA 1609 to HB 1114 Primary Election Regulations Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 45)
May 25, 2006 OH HJR 13 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Failed - House (58 - 37)
May 25, 2006 OH HJR 13 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Failed - House (53 - 42)
May 12, 2006 MO CCS2 HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 73)
May 11, 2006 MO CCS SS HCS HB 1900 Campaign Finance and Lobbying Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 67)
May 11, 2006 TN SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
May 9, 2006 MN HF 1443 Voter Registration Photo ID Bill Passed - House (71 - 62)
May 8, 2006 KS SB 142 Campaign Finance Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 45)
May 4, 2006 MO HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Bill Passed - House (94 - 65)
May 4, 2006 LA HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
May 3, 2006 PA SB 999 Voting Standards Bill Passed - House (139 - 59)
May 3, 2006 National HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
May 2, 2006 WI SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
May 2, 2006 FL HB 1037 Campaign Financing Bill Passed - House (81 - 36)
May 1, 2006 IL SB 1445 Election Code Revisions Bill Passed - House (61 - 40)
April 19, 2006 VA Governor's Recommendation: Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 52)
April 17, 2006 AZ SB 1099 Campaign Finance Reports; Disclosure; Exemption Bill Failed - House (29 - 26)
April 10, 2006 LA HB 850 Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (63 - 31)
April 8, 2006 MD HB 1674 Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 49)
April 8, 2006 MD HB 1368 Election Changes Veto Override Passed - House (93 - 45)
April 5, 2006 AL HB 51 Presidential Primary Date Bill Passed - House (79 - 14)
April 5, 2006 National HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
April 4, 2006 MD HB 1054 Public Campaign Financing Act for Candidates for the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (79 - 56)
March 28, 2006 ME LD 1912 Maine House of Representative’s Age Requirement Resolution Failed - House (77 - 65)
March 25, 2006 MD HB 1674 Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents Bill Passed - House (87 - 47)
March 22, 2006 IA HF 2597 Voter Identification Act Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
March 21, 2006 OH HCR 36 Apportioning U.S. House Seats Resolution Passed - House (71 - 23)
March 17, 2006 VT S 164 Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
March 14, 2006 OK HCS HB 3119 Voter ID, Repealing Tuition Assistance, and Reporting of Illegal Immigrants Bill Passed - House (63 - 24)
March 8, 2006 IN HB 1011 Miscellaneous Election Law Matters Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 47)
Feb. 15, 2006 LA HB 12 Elections; Voting; State of Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32)
Feb. 15, 2006 LA SB 22 State of Emergency Voting Reform Bill Passed - House (72 - 29)
Feb. 14, 2006 PA HB 1318 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (106 - 91)
Feb. 1, 2006 NH HB 621 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (168 - 169)
Feb. 1, 2006 NH HB 345 Photo ID for Voting Bill Passed - House (211 - 149)
Feb. 1, 2006 NH HB 621 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists Bill Passed - House (198 - 144)
Date No. Title Outcome
6/06 LD 203 Student Voter Registration Bill "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - House (90 - 49)
5/12 SCS CSHB 109 Disclosure & Ethics Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - House (39 - 0)
5/02 HB 858 Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (65 - 50)
4/24 HB 218 Voter Identification Requirement Bill Passed - House (76 - 69)
4/19 HR 1905 District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (241 - 177)
4/17 AJR 17 Voter Identification Constitutional Amendment Bill Passed - House (54 - 43)
4/13 HB 2017 Early Presidential Primary Bill Passed - House (123 - 12)
4/06 SB 634 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (84 - 54)
4/06 SB 1 Early Voting Bill Passed - House (107 - 32)
4/05 SB 1956 Popular Vote Presidential Election Bill Passed - House (35 - 12)
4/03 HB 2019 Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Failed - House (61 - 61)
4/02 HB 148 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (85 - 54)
3/29 CS HB 91 One-Stop Registration and Voting Sites Bill Passed - House (66 - 45)
3/26 SB 488 Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (78 - 60)
3/20 HF 653 Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
3/20 HCS HB 487 President Primary Date Change Act Bill Passed - House (154 - 11)
3/15 Amend HB 2542 Presidential Primary Funding Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34)
3/15 S 2193 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (57 - 20)
3/07 HCS HB 1734 Photo Identification Voting Requirement Bill Passed - House (58 - 38)
3/07 HCS HB 2095 Presidential Primary Date Change Bill Passed - House (82 - 14)
3/06 SB 113 Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (46 - 29)
3/03 HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 22)
2/28 HCS HB 70 Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (70 - 28)
2/27 HB 1808 Vote by Mail Bill Passed - House (51 - 47)
2/19 HB 2090 Early Ballot Verification Notice Bill Failed - House (24 - 31)
2/16 HB 201 Early Voting Bill Passed - House (101 - 31)
2/13 HB 1048 Campaign Contribution Reform Bill Passed - House (47 - 23)
2/08 HB 1336 Presidential Election by Popular Vote Bill Failed - House (31 - 60)
1/30 HB 1378 County Vote Centers Bill Passed - House (48 - 42)
1/17 HB 1977 Inaugural Committee Finance Reform Bill Passed - House (62 - 32)
9/20 HR 4844 Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (228 - 196)
7/26 HB 1024 Instant Runoff Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52)
7/13 H 126 Unsigned Political Posters Veto Override Passed - House (132 - 24)
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)
6/14 H 4410 Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill Veto Override Failed - House (73 - 40)
6/06 H 6874 Ballot Questions from Governor Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 23)
5/30 AB 2948 Electoral College: Interstate Compact Bill Passed - House (49 - 31)
5/26 HA 1609 to HB 1114 Primary Election Regulations Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 45)
5/25 HJR 13 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Failed - House (58 - 37)
5/25 HJR 13 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Failed - House (53 - 42)
5/12 CCS2 HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 73)
5/11 CCS SS HCS HB 1900 Campaign Finance and Lobbying Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 67)
5/11 SB 1678 Establishing Voting Rights Guidelines for Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (57 - 40)
5/09 HF 1443 Voter Registration Photo ID Bill Passed - House (71 - 62)
5/08 SB 142 Campaign Finance Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 45)
5/04 HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 Voter Identification and Poll Regulation Bill Passed - House (94 - 65)
5/04 HB 669 Special Tax Election Requirements Bill Failed - House (51 - 51)
5/03 SB 999 Voting Standards Bill Passed - House (139 - 59)
5/03 HR 4975 527 Reform Act of 2006 Bill Passed - House (217 - 213)
5/02 SB 1 Ethics Bill Motion Rejected - House (45 - 51)
5/02 HB 1037 Campaign Financing Bill Passed - House (81 - 36)
5/01 SB 1445 Election Code Revisions Bill Passed - House (61 - 40)
4/19 Governor's Recommendation: Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Amendment Rejected - House (42 - 52)
4/17 SB 1099 Campaign Finance Reports; Disclosure; Exemption Bill Failed - House (29 - 26)
4/10 HB 850 Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (63 - 31)
4/08 HB 1674 Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents Veto Override Passed - House (88 - 49)
4/08 HB 1368 Election Changes Veto Override Passed - House (93 - 45)
4/05 HB 51 Presidential Primary Date Bill Passed - House (79 - 14)
4/05 HR 513 527 Reform Act of 2005 Bill Passed - House (218 - 209)
4/04 HB 1054 Public Campaign Financing Act for Candidates for the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (79 - 56)
3/28 LD 1912 Maine House of Representative’s Age Requirement Resolution Failed - House (77 - 65)
3/25 HB 1674 Restrictions on Campaign Fund-Raising Activities by Members of the Board of Regents Bill Passed - House (87 - 47)
3/22 HF 2597 Voter Identification Act Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
3/21 HCR 36 Apportioning U.S. House Seats Resolution Passed - House (71 - 23)
3/17 S 164 Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (63 - 45)
3/14 HCS HB 3119 Voter ID, Repealing Tuition Assistance, and Reporting of Illegal Immigrants Bill Passed - House (63 - 24)
3/08 HB 1011 Miscellaneous Election Law Matters Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 47)
2/15 HB 12 Elections; Voting; State of Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32)
2/15 SB 22 State of Emergency Voting Reform Bill Passed - House (72 - 29)
2/14 HB 1318 Voter Identification Requirements Conference Report Adopted - House (106 - 91)
2/01 HB 621 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Failed - House (168 - 169)
2/01 HB 345 Photo ID for Voting Bill Passed - House (211 - 149)
2/01 HB 621 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions by Lobbyists Bill Passed - House (198 - 144)

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