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
Feb. 9, 2021 SD HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - House (58 - 12)
Feb. 8, 2021 IN HB 1365 Requires Entering Information of Candidates into the Statewide Voter Registration System Bill Passed - House (83 - 13)
Feb. 8, 2021 ND HB 1256 Prohibits Accepting Grants or Donations from Private Persons for Election Matters Bill Passed - House (78 - 13)
Feb. 8, 2021 ND HB 1373 Reduces the Early Voting Window Bill Passed - House (78 - 13)
Feb. 5, 2021 MT HB 176 Rescinds Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 2, 2021 AR HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - House (75 - 20)
Feb. 1, 2021 VA HB 2125 Authorizes a Person Who is 16 Years of Age or Older to Preregister to Vote Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
Jan. 26, 2021 NY A 2574 Establishes the State University of New York as an Automatic Voter Registration Location Bill Passed - House (99 - 51)
Jan. 25, 2021 VA HB 1968 Authorizes the Electoral Board or General Registrar of a County or City to Provide Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
Jan. 25, 2021 VA HB 2081 Prohibits the Possession of Firearms Within 40 Feet of a Polling Place Bill Passed - House (53 - 47)
Nov. 19, 2020 PA HR 1100 Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90)
Oct. 23, 2020 LA HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 28)
Oct. 22, 2020 LA SB 20 Amends Election Laws Due to the Declared Disaster Emergency Bill Passed - House (59 - 27)
Sept. 29, 2020 National H Res 1155 Reaffirming the House of Representatives' commitment to the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (397 - 5)
Sept. 24, 2020 MI SB 757 Authorizes Cities With Over 25,000 Residents to Begin Processing Absentee Ballots the Day Before an Election Bill Passed - House (94 - 11)
Sept. 24, 2020 MI SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (77 - 26)
Sept. 24, 2020 MI SB 117 Authorizes Active-Duty Overseas Military Voters to Vote Electronically Bill Passed - House (88 - 17)
Sept. 24, 2020 MI HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - House (74 - 29)
Sept. 23, 2020 MI HB 5396 Appropriates Funds for the 2021 Fiscal Year Budget Bill Passed - House (101 - 4)
Sept. 15, 2020 SC H 5305 Authorizes Absentee Voting Due to the Declared State of Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 1)
Sept. 4, 2020 VA SB 5120 Appropriates Funds to Provide Prepaid Postage on Absentee Ballots for the General Election Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Sept. 2, 2020 PA HB 2626 Amends the Deadline for Mail-In Voting From 7 to 15 Days Before an Election Bill Passed - House (112 - 90)
Sept. 1, 2020 OH HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 35)
Aug. 30, 2020 CA AB 646 Authorizes Individuals on Parole for a Felony Conviction to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 16)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ A 4475 Requires Ballot Drop Boxes in Every County of New Jersey Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/09 HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - House (58 - 12)
2/08 HB 1365 Requires Entering Information of Candidates into the Statewide Voter Registration System Bill Passed - House (83 - 13)
2/08 HB 1256 Prohibits Accepting Grants or Donations from Private Persons for Election Matters Bill Passed - House (78 - 13)
2/08 HB 1373 Reduces the Early Voting Window Bill Passed - House (78 - 13)
2/05 HB 176 Rescinds Election Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/02 HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - House (75 - 20)
2/01 HB 2125 Authorizes a Person Who is 16 Years of Age or Older to Preregister to Vote Bill Passed - House (54 - 45)
1/26 A 2574 Establishes the State University of New York as an Automatic Voter Registration Location Bill Passed - House (99 - 51)
1/25 HB 1968 Authorizes the Electoral Board or General Registrar of a County or City to Provide Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
1/25 HB 2081 Prohibits the Possession of Firearms Within 40 Feet of a Polling Place Bill Passed - House (53 - 47)
11/19 HR 1100 Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90)
10/23 HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 28)
10/22 SB 20 Amends Election Laws Due to the Declared Disaster Emergency Bill Passed - House (59 - 27)
9/29 H Res 1155 Reaffirming the House of Representatives' commitment to the orderly and peaceful transfer of power called for in the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (397 - 5)
9/24 SB 757 Authorizes Cities With Over 25,000 Residents to Begin Processing Absentee Ballots the Day Before an Election Bill Passed - House (94 - 11)
9/24 SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (77 - 26)
9/24 SB 117 Authorizes Active-Duty Overseas Military Voters to Vote Electronically Bill Passed - House (88 - 17)
9/24 HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - House (74 - 29)
9/23 HB 5396 Appropriates Funds for the 2021 Fiscal Year Budget Bill Passed - House (101 - 4)
9/15 H 5305 Authorizes Absentee Voting Due to the Declared State of Emergency Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 1)
9/04 SB 5120 Appropriates Funds to Provide Prepaid Postage on Absentee Ballots for the General Election Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
9/02 HB 2626 Amends the Deadline for Mail-In Voting From 7 to 15 Days Before an Election Bill Passed - House (112 - 90)
9/01 HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 35)
8/30 AB 646 Authorizes Individuals on Parole for a Felony Conviction to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 16)
8/27 A 4475 Requires Ballot Drop Boxes in Every County of New Jersey Bill Passed - House (48 - 28)

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