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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2009 | NJ | A 3902 | Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| May 19, 2009 | OR | HB 2005 | Petition Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| May 12, 2009 | CT | HB 6437 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (76 - 69) |
| April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22) |
| April 22, 2009 | WA | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| April 21, 2009 | NV | AB 413 | Presidential Election By National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| April 21, 2009 | NC | HB 120 | Public Financing for Municipal Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (60 - 56) |
| April 15, 2009 | WA | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| April 3, 2009 | GA | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| April 2, 2009 | MO | HB 681 | Special Elections for Statewide Office Vacancies | Bill Passed - House (94 - 63) |
| April 1, 2009 | OK | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| March 21, 2009 | NM | SB 116 | Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (49 - 17) |
| March 17, 2009 | CO | HB 1299 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| March 17, 2009 | IA | HF 670 | Early Absentee Vote Counting | Bill Passed - House (76 - 22) |
| March 12, 2009 | OR | HB 2588 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (39 - 19) |
| March 11, 2009 | OK | HB 1037 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| March 10, 2009 | RI | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
| March 5, 2009 | SD | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Bill Failed - House (17 - 49) |
| March 3, 2009 | WY | SF 12 | Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| Feb. 25, 2009 | AR | HB 1339 | Election of the President by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | OK | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| Feb. 11, 2009 | MS | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| Feb. 9, 2009 | ND | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| Feb. 5, 2009 | UT | SB 25 | Online Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (58 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2009 | MT | HB 147 | Revising Campaign Expenditure Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 36) |
| Jan. 14, 2009 | RI | H 5097 | Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls | |
| Dec. 16, 2008 | OH | SB 380 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| Dec. 11, 2008 | MI | HB 6610 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| June 27, 2008 | AZ | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| June 26, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| June 19, 2008 | RI | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
| June 11, 2008 | RI | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - House (55 - 9) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| May 16, 2008 | MO | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (83 - 72) |
| May 8, 2008 | RI | H 7106 | Allow Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 11) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 15) |
| May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| May 5, 2008 | MN | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
| April 30, 2008 | IL | HB 5278 | Limiting County Clerk and Election Board Members' Endorsements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
| April 25, 2008 | VT | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/21 | A 3902 | Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor | Bill Passed - House (45 - 29) |
| 5/19 | HB 2005 | Petition Regulation Amendments | Bill Passed - House (52 - 7) |
| 5/19 | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
| 5/12 | HB 6437 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (76 - 69) |
| 4/29 | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22) |
| 4/22 | HB 1517 | Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44) |
| 4/21 | AB 413 | Presidential Election By National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (27 - 14) |
| 4/21 | HB 120 | Public Financing for Municipal Campaigns | Bill Passed - House (60 - 56) |
| 4/15 | SB 5599 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (52 - 42) |
| 4/03 | SB 86 | Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (140 - 67) |
| 4/02 | HB 681 | Special Elections for Statewide Office Vacancies | Bill Passed - House (94 - 63) |
| 4/01 | SB 4 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (71 - 27) |
| 3/21 | SB 116 | Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (49 - 17) |
| 3/17 | HB 1299 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (34 - 29) |
| 3/17 | HF 670 | Early Absentee Vote Counting | Bill Passed - House (76 - 22) |
| 3/12 | HB 2588 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (39 - 19) |
| 3/11 | HB 1037 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - House (59 - 39) |
| 3/10 | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
| 3/05 | SJR 3 | Extending Senate Terms and Legislative Term-Limits | Bill Failed - House (17 - 49) |
| 3/03 | SF 12 | Increasing Campaign Contribution Limit | Bill Failed - House (30 - 30) |
| 3/03 | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
| 2/25 | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
| 2/25 | HB 1339 | Election of the President by National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (56 - 43) |
| 2/11 | HB 1601 | Regulating Attorney Election Contributions | Bill Passed - House (62 - 36) |
| 2/11 | HB 1533 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (78 - 44) |
| 2/09 | HB 1576 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Failed - House (47 - 46) |
| 2/05 | SB 25 | Online Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (58 - 14) |
| 1/29 | HB 147 | Revising Campaign Expenditure Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 36) |
| 1/14 | H 5097 | Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls | |
| 12/16 | SB 380 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (55 - 43) |
| 12/11 | HB 6610 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
| 12/04 | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
| 8/30 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| 7/15 | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
| 7/09 | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| 7/09 | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
| 7/09 | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| 6/27 | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| 6/26 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - House (67 - 21) |
| 6/19 | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (34 - 28) |
| 6/11 | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - House (55 - 9) |
| 5/29 | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| 5/16 | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (83 - 72) |
| 5/08 | H 7106 | Allow Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 11) |
| 5/06 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 15) |
| 5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
| 5/06 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 27) |
| 5/05 | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
| 4/30 | HB 5278 | Limiting County Clerk and Election Board Members' Endorsements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
| 4/25 | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Failed - House (99 - 51) |