Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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. 24, 2020 VA HB 1 Authorizes Absentee Voting Without Needing Excuse Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2020 AZ SB 1434 Establishes Regulations for Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 4, 2020 VA SB 65 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
Jan. 23, 2020 KY SB 2 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Jan. 21, 2020 VA SB 601 Establishes Election Day to Replace Lee-Jackson Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Jan. 16, 2020 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
Jan. 13, 2020 NJ S 589 Amends Online Voter Registration Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Oct. 29, 2019 PA SB 421 Establishes Mail-In Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
Sept. 10, 2019 CA AB 681 Requires Voter Party Affiliation Notification Prior To Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
Aug. 26, 2019 NJ S 4069 Amends Absentee Ballot Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
July 1, 2019 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 8)
June 30, 2019 OR HB 2983 Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
June 29, 2019 OR SB 861 Requires State to Pay for Ballot Return Envelopes Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
June 29, 2019 OR SJR 18 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment Referral for Allowing Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Limits Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
June 27, 2019 NH HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
June 27, 2019 PA SB 48 Amends State Election Laws Regarding Straight Party Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
June 19, 2019 NY S 6532 Extends Voter Registration Cutoff Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
June 18, 2019 ME LD 1083 Increases the Use of Ranked Choice Voting "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 14)
June 13, 2019 NY S 3822 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Vote in Primary at 17 Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
June 10, 2019 ME LD 1463 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
June 3, 2019 ME LD 1626 Establishes a Presidential Primary System in Maine "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 13)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 611 Increases Access to Absentee Voting "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 11)
May 30, 2019 NH HB 105 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
May 24, 2019 AZ SB 1451 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/24 HB 1 Authorizes Absentee Voting Without Needing Excuse Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/13 SB 1434 Establishes Regulations for Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/04 SB 65 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
1/23 SB 2 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
1/21 SB 601 Establishes Election Day to Replace Lee-Jackson Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
1/16 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
1/13 S 589 Amends Online Voter Registration Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
10/29 SB 421 Establishes Mail-In Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
9/10 AB 681 Requires Voter Party Affiliation Notification Prior To Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
8/26 S 4069 Amends Absentee Ballot Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
7/01 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 8)
6/30 HB 2983 Requires Disclosure of Organizations Giving Certain Monetary Donations to Campaigns Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 7)
6/29 SB 861 Requires State to Pay for Ballot Return Envelopes Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 9)
6/29 SJR 18 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment Referral for Allowing Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Limits Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 5)
6/27 HB 315 Repeals Participation in Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
6/27 SB 48 Amends State Election Laws Regarding Straight Party Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 19)
6/19 S 6532 Extends Voter Registration Cutoff Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
6/18 LD 1083 Increases the Use of Ranked Choice Voting "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 14)
6/13 S 3822 Authorizes Certain Individuals to Vote in Primary at 17 Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 22)
6/10 LD 1463 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
6/03 LD 1626 Establishes a Presidential Primary System in Maine "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 13)
5/30 HB 651 Authorizes the Use of Campaign Funds for Child Care Expenses "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (15 - 9)
5/30 HB 611 Increases Access to Absentee Voting "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (13 - 11)
5/30 HB 105 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
5/24 SB 1451 Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 10)

arrow_upward