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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 13, 2007 | CA | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Feb. 9, 2007 | UT | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 8, 2007 | MT | SB 290 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| Feb. 7, 2007 | MS | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | SD | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 6, 2007 | SD | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | ND | SB 2143 | Clean Election Fund | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 33) |
| Feb. 5, 2007 | NJ | A 1 | Property Tax Relief and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| Jan. 31, 2007 | ND | SB 2230 | Mail Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | VA | SB 920 | Requirements For Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| Jan. 29, 2007 | AZ | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| Jan. 25, 2007 | VA | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 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 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 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 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 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 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| Jan. 24, 2007 | SC | S 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 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) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/13 | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 2/09 | HB 148 | Parent Choice in Education Act | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/08 | SB 290 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Failed - Senate (20 - 30) |
| 2/07 | SB 2391 | Parental Consent Waiver for Abortions | Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 0) |
| 2/07 | SB 2617 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 15) |
| 2/06 | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/06 | SJR 7 | Extension of Term Limits | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (17 - 18) |
| 2/05 | SB 2143 | Clean Election Fund | Bill Failed - Senate (13 - 33) |
| 2/05 | A 1 | Property Tax Relief and Appropriations | Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 10) |
| 1/31 | SB 2230 | Mail Ballot Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 14) |
| 1/29 | SB 920 | Requirements For Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15) |
| 1/29 | SB 1032 | Emergency Room Malpractice | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12) |
| 1/25 | SJ 307 | Voting Rights of Nonviolent Felons | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (29 - 10) |
| 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 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 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 1/24 | S 285 | The Appointment of the Comptroller General | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (32 - 11) |
| 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 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 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 1/24 | S 286 | Appointment of the Superintendent of Education | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (27 - 19) |
| 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) |