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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| Jan. 23, 2007 | VA | SJ 352 | Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| Jan. 22, 2007 | CO | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| Jan. 17, 2007 | VA | HB 1977 | Inaugural Committee Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| Jan. 16, 2007 | ND | HB 1029 | Local Sales Tax Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 28) |
| Dec. 4, 2006 | NJ | S 2193 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| Sept. 28, 2006 | National | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| Sept. 26, 2006 | National | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
| Sept. 21, 2006 | National | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| Sept. 20, 2006 | National | HR 4844 | Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 196) |
| Sept. 13, 2006 | National | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| July 26, 2006 | NC | HB 1024 | Instant Runoff Voting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52) |
| July 25, 2006 | NC | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| July 25, 2006 | NC | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| July 19, 2006 | National | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/24 | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 1/24 | S 287 | The Appointment of the Commissioner of Agriculture | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 1/24 | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 1/24 | S 288 | Appointment of the Secretary of State | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (30 - 13) |
| 1/24 | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 1/24 | S 284 | The Appointment of the Adjutant General | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 18) |
| 1/24 | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 1/24 | S 101 | Reorganization of the State Government | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (22 - 23) |
| 1/24 | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 1/23 | SJ 352 | Creation of a Bipartisan Redistricting Commission | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 18) |
| 1/22 | SB 26 | Funding Full-Day Kindergarten | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 1/17 | HB 1977 | Inaugural Committee Finance Reform | Bill Passed - House (62 - 32) |
| 1/16 | HB 1029 | Local Sales Tax Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (64 - 28) |
| 12/04 | S 2193 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
| 9/28 | S Amdt 5104 | Military Commissions Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (47 - 52) |
| 9/26 | N/A | Motion to Resolve Into Secret Session | Motion Rejected - House (171 - 217) |
| 9/21 | HR 6095 | Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (277 - 140) |
| 9/20 | HR 4844 | Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (228 - 196) |
| 9/13 | S Amdt 4936 | National Security Amendment | Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 7/26 | HB 1024 | Instant Runoff Voting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 52) |
| 7/25 | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| 7/25 | HB 1323 | Establishment of NC Innocence Inquiry Commission | Conference Report Adopted - House (86 - 28) |
| 7/19 | HR 2389 | Pledge Protection Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (260 - 167) |