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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 9, 2009 OH SB 8 Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Nov. 18, 2009 OH HB 260 Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
Oct. 15, 2009 IL HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1)
Sept. 23, 2009 OH SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
Sept. 22, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
Sept. 17, 2009 National HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
Sept. 17, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
Sept. 14, 2009 National S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
June 30, 2009 RI H 5005 Voter Pre-Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
June 24, 2009 DE HB 198 National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (23 - 12)
June 18, 2009 RI H 5569 National Popular Vote Act Bill Failed - House (28 - 45)
June 18, 2009 TN HB 614 Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 14)
June 16, 2009 TN SB 162 Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
June 15, 2009 LA HB 504 Jefferson Parish School Board Elections Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
June 15, 2009 OR HB 2005 Petition Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
June 9, 2009 DE HB 117 School Board Elections Bill Passed - House (23 - 17)
June 3, 2009 LA HB 243 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions Bill Failed - House (38 - 60)
June 2, 2009 CT SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - House (107 - 37)
May 31, 2009 IL HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 46)
May 30, 2009 IL HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - House (109 - 6)
May 29, 2009 CT SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 28, 2009 IL HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 22)
May 28, 2009 RI H 5097 Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
May 26, 2009 CT HB 6435 Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (81 - 65)
May 21, 2009 NJ A 2451 Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
May 21, 2009 NJ A 2451 Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
May 21, 2009 NJ A 3902 Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
May 19, 2009 LA HB 504 Jefferson Parish School Board Elections Bill Passed - House (63 - 26)
May 19, 2009 OR HB 2005 Petition Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 7)
May 12, 2009 CT HB 6437 National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (76 - 69)
May 11, 2009 MN SF 1331 Changing Early Voting and Special Election Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 27)
April 29, 2009 IN HB 1491 St. Joseph Superior Court Judges Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18)
April 29, 2009 IN HB 1491 St. Joseph Superior Court Judges Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22)
April 29, 2009 ND SCR 4038 Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
April 22, 2009 WA HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)
April 21, 2009 NV AB 413 Presidential Election By National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (27 - 14)
April 21, 2009 NC HB 120 Public Financing for Municipal Campaigns Bill Passed - House (60 - 56)
April 15, 2009 WA HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
April 15, 2009 WA SB 5599 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (52 - 42)
April 8, 2009 OK HB 1601 Regulating Attorney Election Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
April 3, 2009 GA SB 86 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
April 3, 2009 GA SB 86 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (140 - 67)
April 2, 2009 MO HB 681 Special Elections for Statewide Office Vacancies Bill Passed - House (94 - 63)
April 1, 2009 OK SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
March 23, 2009 VT Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19)
March 21, 2009 NM SB 116 Campaign Contribution Limits Bill Passed - House (49 - 17)
March 17, 2009 CO HB 1299 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 29)
March 17, 2009 IA HF 670 Early Absentee Vote Counting Bill Passed - House (76 - 22)
March 17, 2009 NM SB 263 Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/09 SB 8 Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
11/18 HB 260 Election Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
10/15 HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1)
9/23 SJR 5 Redistricting Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
9/22 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Motion Agreed - House (345 - 75)
9/17 HR 3221 Prohibiting Federal Assistance to ACORN Bill Passed - House (253 - 171)
9/17 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
9/14 S Amdt 2355 Prohibiting Funding for ACORN Amendment Adopted - Senate (83 - 7)
6/30 H 5005 Voter Pre-Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
6/24 HB 198 National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (23 - 12)
6/18 H 5569 National Popular Vote Act Bill Failed - House (28 - 45)
6/18 HB 614 Delaying Paper Ballot Requirements Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 14)
6/16 SB 162 Creation of the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 11)
6/15 HB 504 Jefferson Parish School Board Elections Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
6/15 HB 2005 Petition Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 12)
6/09 HB 117 School Board Elections Bill Passed - House (23 - 17)
6/03 HB 243 Disclosure of Campaign Contributions Bill Failed - House (38 - 60)
6/02 SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - House (107 - 37)
5/31 HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 46)
5/30 HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - House (109 - 6)
5/29 SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/28 HB 7 Campaign Contribution Limits Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 22)
5/28 H 5097 Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls Bill Passed - House (48 - 24)
5/26 HB 6435 Election Day Registration Bill Passed - House (81 - 65)
5/21 A 2451 Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (45 - 29)
5/21 A 2451 Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
5/21 A 3902 Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
5/19 HB 504 Jefferson Parish School Board Elections Bill Passed - House (63 - 26)
5/19 HB 2005 Petition Regulation Amendments Bill Passed - House (52 - 7)
5/12 HB 6437 National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (76 - 69)
5/11 SF 1331 Changing Early Voting and Special Election Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 27)
4/29 HB 1491 St. Joseph Superior Court Judges Conference Report Adopted - Senate (32 - 18)
4/29 HB 1491 St. Joseph Superior Court Judges Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22)
4/29 SCR 4038 Creating a Public Health Investment Trust Fund Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 23)
4/22 HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 44)
4/21 AB 413 Presidential Election By National Popular Vote Bill Passed - House (27 - 14)
4/21 HB 120 Public Financing for Municipal Campaigns Bill Passed - House (60 - 56)
4/15 HB 1517 Expediting the Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
4/15 SB 5599 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (52 - 42)
4/08 HB 1601 Regulating Attorney Election Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
4/03 SB 86 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (30 - 13)
4/03 SB 86 Requiring Proof of Citizenship for Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (140 - 67)
4/02 HB 681 Special Elections for Statewide Office Vacancies Bill Passed - House (94 - 63)
4/01 SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
3/23 Same-Sex Marriage Ballot Question Amendment Rejected - Senate (11 - 19)
3/21 SB 116 Campaign Contribution Limits Bill Passed - House (49 - 17)
3/17 HB 1299 National Popular Vote Act Bill Passed - House (34 - 29)
3/17 HF 670 Early Absentee Vote Counting Bill Passed - House (76 - 22)
3/17 SB 263 Requiring State Contractors to Disclose Campaign Contributions Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 11)

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