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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 8, 2018 | MI | SB 1022 | Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| April 3, 2017 | TN | SB 38 | Amends Provisions for Campaign Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| Feb. 19, 2016 | NC | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| April 15, 2015 | MT | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| Feb. 26, 2015 | MT | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| Sept. 11, 2014 | National | S J Res 19 | A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relating to Contributions and Expenditures Intended to Affect Elections | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
| Aug. 11, 2014 | FL | SB 2-A | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| May 2, 2014 | CT | SB 455 | Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| March 12, 2014 | WI | SB 655 | Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Jan. 16, 2014 | VT | S 82 | Amends Campaign Finance Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 8) |
| Dec. 12, 2013 | MI | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| Nov. 14, 2013 | MI | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| May 20, 2013 | AL | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| March 14, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| July 17, 2012 | National | S 3369 | DISCLOSE Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| March 8, 2012 | ME | LD 1774 | Campaign Finance Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | AK | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 2) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | HB 5085 | Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| May 20, 2011 | TN | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Sept. 23, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
| July 27, 2010 | National | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
| April 22, 2008 | VT | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| March 20, 2002 | National | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40) |
| April 2, 2001 | National | S 27 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41) |
| March 26, 2001 | National | S Amdt 145 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| March 21, 2001 | National | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
| March 20, 2001 | National | S Amdt 115 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| June 29, 2000 | National | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| Feb. 26, 1998 | National | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| June 25, 1996 | National | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11/08 | SB 1022 | Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
| 4/03 | SB 38 | Amends Provisions for Campaign Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 2) |
| 2/19 | HB 2 | Amends Congressional Primary Election Date | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 15) |
| 4/15 | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 20) |
| 2/26 | SB 289 | Requires Certain Political Groups to Disclose Expenditures | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22) |
| 9/11 | S J Res 19 | A Joint Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States Relating to Contributions and Expenditures Intended to Affect Elections | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 42) |
| 8/11 | SB 2-A | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12) |
| 5/02 | SB 455 | Amends the Funding for the Public Campaign Finance Program | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10) |
| 3/12 | SB 655 | Amends Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 1/16 | S 82 | Amends Campaign Finance Law | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 8) |
| 12/12 | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 11/14 | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
| 5/20 | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 3/14 | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
| 7/17 | S 3369 | DISCLOSE Act | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 45) |
| 3/08 | LD 1774 | Campaign Finance Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15) |
| 2/15 | HB 311 | Amends Requirements for Electronic Campaign Finance Disclosure | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 2) |
| 2/14 | HB 5085 | Prohibits public employers from deducting political contributions from employee paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 5/20 | SB 1915 | Increases Contribution Limits to Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 9/23 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (59 - 39) |
| 7/27 | S 3628 | Campaign Finance Disclosure Requirements | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41) |
| 4/22 | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
| 3/20 | HR 2356 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40) |
| 4/02 | S 27 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 | Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41) |
| 3/26 | S Amdt 145 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46) |
| 3/21 | S Amdt 134 | Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31) |
| 3/20 | S Amdt 115 | Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment | Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 6/29 | HR 4762 | '527' Political Groups | Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6) |
| 2/26 | S Amdt 1646 | Campaign Finance Reform Amendment | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (51 - 48) |
| 6/25 | S 1219 | Campaign Finance Reform bill | Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (54 - 46) |