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
Oct. 16, 2013 National HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
Oct. 12, 2013 National S 1569 Default Prevention Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 27, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
Sept. 27, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Sept. 11, 2013 MO HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Sept. 10, 2013 CA AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Aug. 23, 2013 KY HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
Aug. 23, 2013 KY HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
July 25, 2013 NC HB 589 Amends Voter Registration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
July 23, 2013 NC SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
July 23, 2013 NC HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
July 18, 2013 NC SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
July 8, 2013 CA AB 817 Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
July 7, 2013 OR HB 3521 Requires Voter Registration Agencies to Provide Records for Automatic Registration Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16)
June 23, 2013 TX SB 3 State House Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
June 23, 2013 TX SB 3 State House Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
June 14, 2013 CA AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
June 14, 2013 TX SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11)
June 14, 2013 TX SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11)
June 13, 2013 AZ HB 2305 Amends Voting Procedures Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/16 HR 2775 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (81 - 18)
10/12 S 1569 Default Prevention Act of 2013 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/27 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
9/27 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
9/11 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
9/11 HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
9/11 HB 278 Prohibits a Public Entity from Limiting the Practice or Celebration of Any Federal Holiday Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
9/10 AB 484 Amends State School Testing Programs Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
8/23 HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
8/23 HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
7/25 HB 589 Amends Voter Registration Laws Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
7/23 SB 76 Amends Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements and Authorizes Off-Shore Drilling Conference Report Adopted - Senate (37 - 11)
7/23 HB 937 Amends Firearm Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
7/18 SB 81 Establishes the Charlotte International Airport Authority Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
7/08 AB 817 Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
7/07 HB 3521 Requires Voter Registration Agencies to Provide Records for Automatic Registration Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16)
6/23 SB 3 State House Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
6/23 SB 3 State House Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
6/14 AB 76 Specifies that Compliance with the California Public Records Act is Optional Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
6/14 SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11)
6/14 SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11)
6/13 HB 2305 Amends Voting Procedures Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13)

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