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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2008 | National | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
| July 9, 2008 | VA | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| July 9, 2008 | MA | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
| July 9, 2008 | National | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| July 8, 2008 | NC | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| July 4, 2008 | PA | SB 1389 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (170 - 32) |
| July 4, 2008 | PA | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| July 2, 2008 | NC | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| July 1, 2008 | DE | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| June 28, 2008 | MI | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 30) |
| June 28, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| June 27, 2008 | AZ | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| June 27, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| June 27, 2008 | MS | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| June 27, 2008 | NV | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| June 27, 2008 | AZ | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| June 27, 2008 | AZ | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| June 26, 2008 | AZ | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/15 | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
| 7/09 | SB 6009 | Transportation Taxes | Bill Failed - House (39 - 59) |
| 7/09 | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| 7/09 | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
| 7/09 | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
| 7/09 | HR 5811 | Electronic Communications Preservation Act | Bill Passed - House (286 - 137) |
| 7/08 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| 7/08 | HB 2690 | Durham County Meals Tax | Bill Passed - House (60 - 59) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (97 - 20) |
| 7/08 | HB 2436 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 7/04 | SB 1389 | 2008-2009 Budget | Conference Report Adopted - House (170 - 32) |
| 7/04 | HB 1067 | Omnibus Education Bill | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (191 - 11) |
| 7/02 | SB 1988 | Outlaws Burning Crosses and Hanging Nooses | Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 3) |
| 7/01 | HB 518 | Alcohol Tax Increase | Bill Failed - Senate (7 - 14) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 6) |
| 7/01 | SB 300 | 2008-2009 Budget | Bill Passed - House (33 - 7) |
| 6/28 | SB 1094 | 2008-2009 Department of Community Health Appropriations | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 30) |
| 6/28 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
| 6/27 | SCR 1042 | Parameters of Marriage | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (16 - 4) |
| 6/27 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| 6/27 | HB 17 | Medicaid Funds Bill | Bill Passed - House (68 - 44) |
| 6/27 | SB 5 | 2008-2009 Education Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (12 - 9) |
| 6/27 | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| 6/27 | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
| 6/26 | HB 2209 | 2008-2009 Budget | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (31 - 29) |