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 2, 2021 AZ SB 1485 Rescinds Voters From the Early Ballots Mailing List Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
March 1, 2021 National PN 78-5 Nomination of Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (64 - 33)
March 1, 2021 ID S 1110 Increases the Counties Needed to Reach 6 Percent of Signatures for an Initiative Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 1, 2021 MT SB 350 Amends the Election Law Regarding Minor Parties Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
March 1, 2021 MT SB 351 Authorizes County Election Administrators to Test Vote Tabulation Machines Before Automatic Tabulation Begins Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
March 1, 2021 MT SB 254 Authorizes Changes in Daylight Savings Time if Neighboring States do the Same Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
March 1, 2021 MT SB 215 Limits State and Local Governmental Authority Over a Religious Activity Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
Feb. 27, 2021 VA SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
Feb. 27, 2021 VA HJ 555 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
Feb. 27, 2021 VA SB 1385 Rescinds the Sunset on a Pilot Program Allowing a Locality to Request an Electric Utility to Place Underground Electric Distribution Lines Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 7)
Feb. 25, 2021 National PN 78-8 Nomination of Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (64 - 35)
Feb. 25, 2021 SD HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2021 ID H 67 Prohibits Public Health Districts from Closing Schools or Programs Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
Feb. 24, 2021 AR HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2021 OH SB 3 Authorizes Ohio to Join the Nurse Licensure Compact Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
Feb. 24, 2021 GA SB 89 Establishes a New Position at the State Board of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
Feb. 24, 2021 NY S 830 Extends Voting Rights to Convicted Felons on Parole Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA SB 1148 Amends the Primary Election Date Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Feb. 23, 2021 National PN 78-21 Nomination of Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 21)
Feb. 23, 2021 National PN 78-22 Nomination of Thomas J. Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (92 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Feb. 23, 2021 GA SB 40 Requires County Officials Count Ballots 8 Days Before an Election (53 - 0)
Feb. 23, 2021 GA SB 184 Requires that Voting Records be Updated Within 30 Days After an Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
Feb. 23, 2021 IN SB 200 Authorizes the State Attorney General to Appoint a Special Prosecutor for Crimes County Prosecutors Decide not to Charge Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/02 SB 1485 Rescinds Voters From the Early Ballots Mailing List Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
3/01 PN 78-5 Nomination of Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education Nomination Confirmed - Senate (64 - 33)
3/01 S 1110 Increases the Counties Needed to Reach 6 Percent of Signatures for an Initiative Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/01 SB 350 Amends the Election Law Regarding Minor Parties Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
3/01 SB 351 Authorizes County Election Administrators to Test Vote Tabulation Machines Before Automatic Tabulation Begins Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/01 SB 254 Authorizes Changes in Daylight Savings Time if Neighboring States do the Same Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 18)
3/01 SB 215 Limits State and Local Governmental Authority Over a Religious Activity Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 24)
2/27 SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
2/27 HJ 555 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
2/27 SB 1385 Rescinds the Sunset on a Pilot Program Allowing a Locality to Request an Electric Utility to Place Underground Electric Distribution Lines Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 7)
2/25 PN 78-8 Nomination of Jennifer Granholm as Secretary of Energy Nomination Confirmed - Senate (64 - 35)
2/25 HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
2/25 H 67 Prohibits Public Health Districts from Closing Schools or Programs Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
2/24 HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
2/24 SB 3 Authorizes Ohio to Join the Nurse Licensure Compact Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 8)
2/24 SB 89 Establishes a New Position at the State Board of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
2/24 S 830 Extends Voting Rights to Convicted Felons on Parole Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
2/23 SB 1148 Amends the Primary Election Date Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
2/23 SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
2/23 PN 78-21 Nomination of Linda Thomas-Greenfield as Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations Nomination Confirmed - Senate (78 - 21)
2/23 PN 78-22 Nomination of Thomas J. Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture Nomination Confirmed - Senate (92 - 7)
2/23 HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
2/23 SB 40 Requires County Officials Count Ballots 8 Days Before an Election (53 - 0)
2/23 SB 184 Requires that Voting Records be Updated Within 30 Days After an Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
2/23 SB 200 Authorizes the State Attorney General to Appoint a Special Prosecutor for Crimes County Prosecutors Decide not to Charge Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)

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