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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2016 | RI | H 7024 | Authorizes Online Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| March 29, 2016 | LA | SB 164 | Amends Absentee Voting Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| March 10, 2016 | KY | SB 8 | Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| March 8, 2016 | AZ | SB 1516 | Repeals Certain Campaign Finance Reforms | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| March 2, 2016 | CO | SB 74 | Authorizes Voters to Opt Out of Mail Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2016 | CO | SB 112 | Requires Certain Number of Polling Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| Feb. 24, 2016 | UT | SJR 2 | Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
| Feb. 19, 2016 | NC | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| Feb. 18, 2016 | NC | SB 2 | Amends Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| Feb. 17, 2016 | NM | HB 138 | Authorizes Certain Minors to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| Feb. 9, 2016 | MD | HB 980 | Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| Feb. 9, 2016 | WI | SB 295 | Authorizes Voters to Register Online | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| Feb. 1, 2016 | VA | SB 106 | Authorizes No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| Jan. 21, 2016 | NH | SB 4 | Requires an Individual to Live in the State for 30 Days to be Eligible to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| Jan. 19, 2016 | KY | SB 10 | Requires Gubernatorial Elections to be Held on Even-Numbered Years | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| Dec. 16, 2015 | MI | SB 571 | Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| Aug. 17, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| May 27, 2015 | OH | HB 153 | Amends Date of Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| May 12, 2015 | NV | SB 421 | Amends Primary Elections Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| May 11, 2015 | MN | SF 455 | Amends Elections Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28) |
| April 27, 2015 | IN | SB 466 | Amends Voting Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| April 23, 2015 | MN | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| April 8, 2015 | MO | HB 63 | Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| April 6, 2015 | ND | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/29 | H 7024 | Authorizes Online Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 6) |
| 3/29 | SB 164 | Amends Absentee Voting Requirements | Bill Failed - Senate (11 - 24) |
| 3/10 | SB 8 | Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 3/08 | SB 1516 | Repeals Certain Campaign Finance Reforms | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 10) |
| 3/02 | SB 74 | Authorizes Voters to Opt Out of Mail Ballots | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/24 | SB 112 | Requires Certain Number of Polling Centers | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
| 2/24 | SJR 2 | Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6) |
| 2/19 | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 2/18 | SB 2 | Amends Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15) |
| 2/17 | HB 138 | Authorizes Certain Minors to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 2/09 | HB 980 | Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole | Veto Override Passed - Senate (29 - 18) |
| 2/09 | SB 295 | Authorizes Voters to Register Online | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 13) |
| 2/01 | SB 106 | Authorizes No-Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 1/21 | SB 4 | Requires an Individual to Live in the State for 30 Days to be Eligible to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 11) |
| 1/19 | SB 10 | Requires Gubernatorial Elections to be Held on Even-Numbered Years | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9) |
| 12/16 | SB 571 | Amends Ballot Advertising Restrictions | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 8/17 | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 5/27 | HB 153 | Amends Date of Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 5/12 | SB 421 | Amends Primary Elections Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 9) |
| 5/11 | SF 455 | Amends Elections Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 28) |
| 4/27 | SB 466 | Amends Voting Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 8) |
| 4/23 | SF 878 | Authorizes Gun Silencers and Expands Ex-Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 22) |
| 4/15 | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 4/08 | HB 63 | Prohibits Superintendents from Serving on Certain School Boards | Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 4/06 | HB 1181 | Requires Special Election to Fill Vacant Senate Seat | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |