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
March 11, 2013 MD SB 279 Amends Early Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
March 11, 2013 ID S 1108 Increases Petition Signature Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
March 7, 2013 NM SB 276 Authorizes Straight-Party Voting as a Ballot Option Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
Feb. 28, 2013 KS SB 63 Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
Feb. 20, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Feb. 5, 2013 VA SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
Jan. 28, 2013 VA SB 690 Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
Aug. 23, 2012 CA AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
July 17, 2012 National S 3369 DISCLOSE Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
June 27, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
June 27, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
June 27, 2012 CA AB 1499 Ballot Order for Statewide Measures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
June 13, 2012 MI SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
June 13, 2012 MI SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5)
June 6, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
May 29, 2012 LA HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
May 24, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 22, 2012 LA HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
May 22, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 8, 2012 CT HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 5, 2012 CT HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/11 SB 279 Amends Early Voting Procedures Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12)
3/11 S 1108 Increases Petition Signature Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/07 SB 276 Authorizes Straight-Party Voting as a Ballot Option Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17)
2/28 SB 63 Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9)
2/20 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/05 SB 1256 Requires Photo Identification for Voting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
2/05 SB 719 Amends Voting Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20)
1/28 SB 690 Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
8/23 AB 1436 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
7/17 S 3369 DISCLOSE Act Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
6/27 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
6/27 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
6/27 AB 1499 Ballot Order for Statewide Measures Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15)
6/13 SB 803 Requires Proof of Citizenship to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
6/13 SB 754 Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
6/06 SB 318 Requires In-State Residency to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (18 - 5)
6/06 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
5/29 HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
5/24 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/22 HB 292 School Board Member Term Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 16)
5/22 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/08 HB 5556 Requires Corporations to Identify Top Donors for Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/05 HB 5024 Authorizes Election Day Registration Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16)
5/02 JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
5/02 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)

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