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
May 11, 2021 WI SB 203 Limits the Return of of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 3, 2021 CO HB 21-1114 Requires a Local Government to Obtain Voter Approval Before Providing Internet Access Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
May 3, 2021 MN SF 173 Requires Voters to Present ID Before Casting a Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 29, 2021 FL SB 7072 Prohibits Social Media Companies from "Deplatforming" Political Candidates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
April 29, 2021 FL SB 90 Establishes Restrictions on Vote-By-Mail and Drop Boxes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
April 28, 2021 TX SB 1111 Requires Voters Register Their Physical Address Instead of a P.O. Box When Registering to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
April 27, 2021 MT HB 506 Amends Absentee Ballot Eligibility Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 20)
April 26, 2021 MT HB 530 Establishes Restrictions on Providing Assistance in Returning a Voter's Mail Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
April 22, 2021 OK HB 2663 Authorizes Early In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
April 22, 2021 AL HB 538 Limits the Time Frame for Receiving Absentee Ballot Applications Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
April 22, 2021 MT HB 651 Requires Ballot Initiatives Include a Warning Label on the Impact to Local Business Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
April 22, 2021 AL HB 388 Requires General Election Laws be Implemented 6 Months Before a General Election Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
April 22, 2021 AL HB 154 Requires Municipal Candidates to File Campaign Finance Reports Electronically Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
April 22, 2021 AR SB 701 Establishes a Uniform Process for Opening and Validating all Absentee Ballots Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
April 21, 2021 OK HB 2564 Amends the Election Recount Process to Require Recounts on Statewide Issues or Question Elections Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)
April 21, 2021 OH SB 80 Requires Party Affiliations of Judicial Candidates to be Listed on Election Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 20, 2021 ND SB 2271 Establishes a Statement of Legislative Intent Regarding Presidential Elections Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 8)
April 19, 2021 OK HB 2939 Requires the County Election Board Record Every Voter's Ballot History Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
April 15, 2021 IN SB 398 Limits the Hours of an Election Drop Box and Expands Voting for Those with Disabilities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 2)
April 14, 2021 TN SB 1534 Prohibits Any Person from Contributing Funds to the State Election Commission to Conduct Elections Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
April 14, 2021 WI SB 213 Authorizes Individuals to File Election Law Violation Claims Against Election Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
April 14, 2021 WI SB 210 Requires Election Administrators Allow Election Observers to be No More Than 3 Feet Away from Voter Registration Tables Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
April 13, 2021 OK HB 1752 Establishes a 30-Day Time Limit for a County Election Board to Remove Deceased People from the Central Registry Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
April 13, 2021 AZ HB 2359 Requires any Method of Electronic Access to be Secured While Voting In Person Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
April 13, 2021 AR HB 1715 Requires Voters' Signatures on Absentee Ballots Match the Signature from Their Voter Registration Application Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/11 SB 203 Limits the Return of of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/03 HB 21-1114 Requires a Local Government to Obtain Voter Approval Before Providing Internet Access Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 5)
5/03 SF 173 Requires Voters to Present ID Before Casting a Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/29 SB 7072 Prohibits Social Media Companies from "Deplatforming" Political Candidates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
4/29 SB 90 Establishes Restrictions on Vote-By-Mail and Drop Boxes Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
4/28 SB 1111 Requires Voters Register Their Physical Address Instead of a P.O. Box When Registering to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
4/27 HB 506 Amends Absentee Ballot Eligibility Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (30 - 20)
4/26 HB 530 Establishes Restrictions on Providing Assistance in Returning a Voter's Mail Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
4/22 HB 2663 Authorizes Early In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 2)
4/22 HB 538 Limits the Time Frame for Receiving Absentee Ballot Applications Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 5)
4/22 HB 651 Requires Ballot Initiatives Include a Warning Label on the Impact to Local Business Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
4/22 HB 388 Requires General Election Laws be Implemented 6 Months Before a General Election Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 4)
4/22 HB 154 Requires Municipal Candidates to File Campaign Finance Reports Electronically Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 12)
4/22 SB 701 Establishes a Uniform Process for Opening and Validating all Absentee Ballots Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 20)
4/21 HB 2564 Amends the Election Recount Process to Require Recounts on Statewide Issues or Question Elections Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 8)
4/21 SB 80 Requires Party Affiliations of Judicial Candidates to be Listed on Election Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/20 SB 2271 Establishes a Statement of Legislative Intent Regarding Presidential Elections Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 8)
4/19 HB 2939 Requires the County Election Board Record Every Voter's Ballot History Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
4/15 SB 398 Limits the Hours of an Election Drop Box and Expands Voting for Those with Disabilities Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (40 - 2)
4/14 SB 1534 Prohibits Any Person from Contributing Funds to the State Election Commission to Conduct Elections Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
4/14 SB 213 Authorizes Individuals to File Election Law Violation Claims Against Election Officials Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
4/14 SB 210 Requires Election Administrators Allow Election Observers to be No More Than 3 Feet Away from Voter Registration Tables Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 11)
4/13 HB 1752 Establishes a 30-Day Time Limit for a County Election Board to Remove Deceased People from the Central Registry Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 8)
4/13 HB 2359 Requires any Method of Electronic Access to be Secured While Voting In Person Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 0)
4/13 HB 1715 Requires Voters' Signatures on Absentee Ballots Match the Signature from Their Voter Registration Application Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)

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