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
April 17, 2013 AR SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (70 - 23)
April 17, 2013 MT SB 405 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)
April 17, 2013 MT SB 408 Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election Bill Passed - House (57 - 43)
April 17, 2013 National S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
April 17, 2013 IA SF 447 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
April 17, 2013 IL HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - House (95 - 22)
April 17, 2013 CT HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
April 17, 2013 CT HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
April 16, 2013 MT HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
April 16, 2013 IA SF 440 Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
April 16, 2013 OR SB 835 Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
April 15, 2013 WA SB 5329 Requires Superintendent to Take Action in Certain Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 29)
April 15, 2013 IN SB 225 Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates Bill Passed - House (64 - 29)
April 15, 2013 IN SB 224 Establishes the Duties of Constitutional Convention Delegates Bill Passed - House (64 - 28)
April 12, 2013 WV SB 371 Amends the State Prison System Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
April 12, 2013 National HR 1120 Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 209)
April 11, 2013 IL HJRCA 18 Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28)
April 11, 2013 IL HJRCA 18 Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28)
April 9, 2013 WI AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 9, 2013 AR HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
April 9, 2013 AR HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
April 9, 2013 WI AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
April 9, 2013 AZ HB 2593 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/17 SB 1020 Authorizes Private Purchase of Health Insurance with Federal Funds Bill Passed - House (70 - 23)
4/17 SB 405 Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (58 - 42)
4/17 SB 408 Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election Bill Passed - House (57 - 43)
4/17 S Amdt 719 Authorizes Reciprocity for the Carrying of Certain Concealed Firearms Amendment Rejected - Senate (57 - 43)
4/17 SF 447 2013-2014 Justice Department Budget Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
4/17 HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - House (95 - 22)
4/17 HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
4/17 HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (90 - 49)
4/16 HB 13 Appropriates Funds for State Employee Pay Raises Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 13)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
4/16 SF 440 Appropriates Funds for Mental Health Services Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
4/16 SB 835 Prohibits Horse Tripping in Rodeos Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 6)
4/15 SB 5329 Requires Superintendent to Take Action in Certain Schools Bill Passed - House (68 - 29)
4/15 SB 225 Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates Bill Passed - House (64 - 29)
4/15 SB 224 Establishes the Duties of Constitutional Convention Delegates Bill Passed - House (64 - 28)
4/12 SB 371 Amends the State Prison System Bill Passed - House (81 - 17)
4/12 HR 1120 Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor-Management Relations Act Bill Passed - House (219 - 209)
4/11 HJRCA 18 Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28)
4/11 HJRCA 18 Repeals the Position of Lieutenant Governor Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 28)
4/09 AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/09 HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
4/09 HB 1855 Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
4/09 AB 15 Authorizes Work-Share Programs Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
4/09 HB 2593 Amends Campaign Finance Limits Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)

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