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. 16, 2021 AZ SB 1069 Amends Early Voting List Eligibility Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
Feb. 12, 2021 MT SB 170 Requires Yearly Maintenance on Voter Lists to Remove Inactive Voters Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
Feb. 11, 2021 AZ SB 1002 Prohibits Absentee Ballots from Revealing Political Party Affiliation Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
Feb. 10, 2021 NY A 4686 Reduces the Number of Signatures Necessary for Nomination Petitions Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 15)
Feb. 10, 2021 MS SB 2588 Repeals Names and Information From the Voter Rolls Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16)
Feb. 5, 2021 MT SB 15 Requires Election Officials Provide Accessible Locations for Disabled Voters During Elections Conducted by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
Feb. 2, 2021 NY A 2574 Establishes the State University of New York as an Automatic Voter Registration Location Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Jan. 28, 2021 NJ S 2973 Authorizes a County to Create the Office of Deputy Superintendent of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Jan. 28, 2021 CA SB 29 Authorizes the Continuation of Mail-In Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
Jan. 26, 2021 SD SB 24 Authorizes Amending Voter Registration Information Online Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Jan. 25, 2021 VA SB 1239 Authorizes the General Registrar to Contract with a Third Party for the Printing, Assembly, and Mailing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
Jan. 25, 2021 VA SB 1281 Specifies that the General Registrar of a Locality Does Not Need to be a Resident of that Locality Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 631 Authorizes Board of Elections to Receive Absentee Ballots Earlier than 30 Days Before an Election Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 19)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 1028 Requires the Boards of Elections to Provide a Website to Request an Absentee Ballot Application Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 492 Authorizes the Board of Elections to Establish Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 632 Establishes an Electronic Application to Request an Absentee Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 253 Prohibits Voiding Absentee Ballots on Technicalities Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 360 Authorizes Voting by Mail by Removing Cause Requirement for Absentee Ballot Voting Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 13)
Jan. 11, 2021 NY S 1027 Amends Election Law to Expedite Review and Canvassing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Oct. 22, 2020 LA HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Oct. 22, 2020 LA HB 59 Authorizes Additional Compensation to Certain Election Officials for Elections Held During a Gubernatorially Declared Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Oct. 19, 2020 LA SB 22 Authorizes Additional Time for Processing Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day 2020 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
Oct. 13, 2020 LA SB 74 Amends Election Penalties Relating to Registration, Fraud, and Forgery Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Oct. 1, 2020 MI HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
Sept. 30, 2020 MI SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/16 SB 1069 Amends Early Voting List Eligibility Bill Failed - Senate (15 - 15)
2/12 SB 170 Requires Yearly Maintenance on Voter Lists to Remove Inactive Voters Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
2/11 SB 1002 Prohibits Absentee Ballots from Revealing Political Party Affiliation Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
2/10 A 4686 Reduces the Number of Signatures Necessary for Nomination Petitions Bill Passed - Senate (48 - 15)
2/10 SB 2588 Repeals Names and Information From the Voter Rolls Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 16)
2/05 SB 15 Requires Election Officials Provide Accessible Locations for Disabled Voters During Elections Conducted by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 9)
2/02 A 2574 Establishes the State University of New York as an Automatic Voter Registration Location Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
1/28 S 2973 Authorizes a County to Create the Office of Deputy Superintendent of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
1/28 SB 29 Authorizes the Continuation of Mail-In Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
1/26 SB 24 Authorizes Amending Voter Registration Information Online Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
1/25 SB 1239 Authorizes the General Registrar to Contract with a Third Party for the Printing, Assembly, and Mailing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 12)
1/25 SB 1281 Specifies that the General Registrar of a Locality Does Not Need to be a Resident of that Locality Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 8)
1/11 S 631 Authorizes Board of Elections to Receive Absentee Ballots Earlier than 30 Days Before an Election Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 19)
1/11 S 1028 Requires the Boards of Elections to Provide a Website to Request an Absentee Ballot Application Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
1/11 S 492 Authorizes the Board of Elections to Establish Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
1/11 S 632 Establishes an Electronic Application to Request an Absentee Ballot Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
1/11 S 253 Prohibits Voiding Absentee Ballots on Technicalities Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
1/11 S 360 Authorizes Voting by Mail by Removing Cause Requirement for Absentee Ballot Voting Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 13)
1/11 S 1027 Amends Election Law to Expedite Review and Canvassing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
10/22 HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
10/22 HB 59 Authorizes Additional Compensation to Certain Election Officials for Elections Held During a Gubernatorially Declared Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
10/19 SB 22 Authorizes Additional Time for Processing Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day 2020 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
10/13 SB 74 Amends Election Penalties Relating to Registration, Fraud, and Forgery Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
10/01 HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
9/30 SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)

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