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
March 14, 2016 KY HB 290 Authorizes In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
Feb. 24, 2016 MS HB 868 Amends State Supreme Court District Boundaries Bill Passed - House (71 - 50)
Feb. 19, 2016 NC SB 2 Amends Congressional Districts Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
Feb. 19, 2016 WV HB 4013 Requires Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 18, 2016 NC HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
Feb. 15, 2016 WA HB 2682 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
Feb. 10, 2016 AZ HB 2567 Repeals State Presidential Primary Election Process Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
Feb. 4, 2016 WA HB 1745 Amends Certain Election Procedures Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
Jan. 21, 2016 MO HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)
Jan. 21, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (114 - 39)
Jan. 20, 2016 MD HB 980 Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 56)
Dec. 16, 2015 MI SB 571 Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions Bill Passed - House (58 - 48)
Aug. 20, 2015 CA AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 31)
June 3, 2015 NH SB 179 Amends Residency Requirement for Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - House (211 - 145)
June 2, 2015 CA AB 1461 Establishes the California New Motor Voter Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
May 26, 2015 CA AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
May 26, 2015 CA AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
May 21, 2015 KS HB 2104 Requires Local Elections to be Moved from Spring to Fall Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 58)
April 21, 2015 ND HB 1333 Amends Valid Forms of Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
April 16, 2015 NV AB 252 Establishes Legislative Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
April 10, 2015 WA SB 5153 Requires Nonprofits to Disclose Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
April 8, 2015 MO HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 49)
April 1, 2015 NC SB 181 Requires the Redistricting of Wake County Bill Passed - House (66 - 47)
March 28, 2015 MT SB 289 Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
March 18, 2015 MO HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 45)
March 17, 2015 NM HB 340 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (37 - 29)
March 10, 2015 SD SB 69 Amends Procedures for Elections and Election Petitions Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
Feb. 25, 2015 AZ HB 2608 Amends Signature Requirements for Political Candidate Nominations Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
Feb. 23, 2015 NJ S 2430 Requires Disclosure of Political Contributions Bill Passed - House (53 - 15)
Feb. 20, 2015 OR HB 2177 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
Feb. 19, 2015 MO HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
Aug. 11, 2014 FL SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
May 30, 2014 IL HB 105 Authorizes Election Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 41)
May 29, 2014 CA AB 1873 Authorizes the Use of Mail Ballots During Special Elections Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
May 14, 2014 MO HJR 90 Authorizes Early Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 57)
May 14, 2014 NH SB 120 Requires Certain Political Organizations to Disclose Individual Contributors Bill Passed - House (186 - 119)
May 6, 2014 CT SB 455 Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
May 5, 2014 CA SB 27 Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors Bill Passed - House (58 - 12)
May 5, 2014 MO SB 892 Amends Presidential Primary Dates Bill Passed - House (101 - 47)
April 22, 2014 AZ SB 1344 Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
April 21, 2014 AZ SB 1344 Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission Bill Failed - House (29 - 25)
March 25, 2014 NY S 3149 Requires the President to be Elected by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (102 - 33)
March 20, 2014 WI SB 324 Amends the Absentee Voting Procedures Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
March 20, 2014 WI SB 655 Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws Bill Passed - House (54 - 37)
March 13, 2014 MO HB 1902 Amends Presidential Primary Dates Bill Passed - House (97 - 48)
March 10, 2014 CA AB 800 Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 19)
March 10, 2014 UT HB 410 Authorizes Early Online Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (58 - 14)
Feb. 27, 2014 MO HJR 47 Amends Election Laws Bill Passed - House (103 - 50)
Feb. 19, 2014 OH SB 238 Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/14 HB 290 Authorizes In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
2/24 HB 868 Amends State Supreme Court District Boundaries Bill Passed - House (71 - 50)
2/19 SB 2 Amends Congressional Districts Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
2/19 HB 4013 Requires Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/18 HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
2/15 HB 2682 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
2/10 HB 2567 Repeals State Presidential Primary Election Process Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
2/04 HB 1745 Amends Certain Election Procedures Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
1/21 HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)
1/21 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (114 - 39)
1/20 HB 980 Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 56)
12/16 SB 571 Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions Bill Passed - House (58 - 48)
8/20 AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 31)
6/03 SB 179 Amends Residency Requirement for Voter Eligibility Bill Passed - House (211 - 145)
6/02 AB 1461 Establishes the California New Motor Voter Program Bill Passed - House (52 - 26)
5/26 AB 884 Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional Bill Passed - House (50 - 26)
5/26 AB 1100 Increases Ballot Initiative Fee Bill Passed - House (46 - 28)
5/21 HB 2104 Requires Local Elections to be Moved from Spring to Fall Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 58)
4/21 HB 1333 Amends Valid Forms of Voter Identification Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23)
4/16 AB 252 Establishes Legislative Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - House (24 - 17)
4/10 SB 5153 Requires Nonprofits to Disclose Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - House (65 - 32)
4/08 HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Veto Override Passed - House (111 - 49)
4/01 SB 181 Requires the Redistricting of Wake County Bill Passed - House (66 - 47)
3/28 SB 289 Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures Bill Passed - House (51 - 48)
3/18 HB 63 Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards Concurrence Vote Passed - House (110 - 45)
3/17 HB 340 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (37 - 29)
3/10 SB 69 Amends Procedures for Elections and Election Petitions Bill Passed - House (41 - 25)
2/25 HB 2608 Amends Signature Requirements for Political Candidate Nominations Bill Passed - House (35 - 23)
2/23 S 2430 Requires Disclosure of Political Contributions Bill Passed - House (53 - 15)
2/20 HB 2177 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
2/19 HJR 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 39)
2/19 HB 30 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
8/11 SB 2-A Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - House (71 - 38)
5/30 HB 105 Authorizes Election Day Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 41)
5/29 AB 1873 Authorizes the Use of Mail Ballots During Special Elections Bill Passed - House (44 - 32)
5/14 HJR 90 Authorizes Early Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - House (92 - 57)
5/14 SB 120 Requires Certain Political Organizations to Disclose Individual Contributors Bill Passed - House (186 - 119)
5/06 SB 455 Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program Bill Passed - House (102 - 40)
5/05 SB 27 Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors Bill Passed - House (58 - 12)
5/05 SB 892 Amends Presidential Primary Dates Bill Passed - House (101 - 47)
4/22 SB 1344 Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission Bill Passed - House (36 - 23)
4/21 SB 1344 Amends Responsibilities of Clean Elections Commission Bill Failed - House (29 - 25)
3/25 S 3149 Requires the President to be Elected by Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (102 - 33)
3/20 SB 324 Amends the Absentee Voting Procedures Bill Passed - House (56 - 38)
3/20 SB 655 Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws Bill Passed - House (54 - 37)
3/13 HB 1902 Amends Presidential Primary Dates Bill Passed - House (97 - 48)
3/10 AB 800 Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 19)
3/10 HB 410 Authorizes Early Online Presidential Primaries Bill Passed - House (58 - 14)
2/27 HJR 47 Amends Election Laws Bill Passed - House (103 - 50)
2/19 SB 238 Reduces Number of Absentee Voting Days Bill Passed - House (59 - 37)

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