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 10, 2009 WA SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
March 10, 2009 OK SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
March 9, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
March 6, 2009 UT HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
March 5, 2009 MD SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
March 4, 2009 SD HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
March 4, 2009 GA SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation
March 3, 2009 ND HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
March 3, 2009 ND HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
March 3, 2009 SC H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
March 2, 2009 UT SJR 14 Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
Feb. 27, 2009 NE LB 5 Trapping In Rights-of-Way Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Feb. 26, 2009 National S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
Feb. 26, 2009 NM SB 12 Establishing Domestic Partnerships Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM SB 141 Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 25, 2009 VA SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 AR SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
Feb. 25, 2009 NM HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
Feb. 25, 2009 GA SB 23 Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
Feb. 24, 2009 VA HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/10 SB 5688 Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
3/10 SB 4 Voter Identification Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 21)
3/09 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Concurrence Vote Passed - House (46 - 23)
3/06 HB 100 Prison Education and Medical Financing Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 7)
3/05 SB 279 Capital Punishment Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 13)
3/04 HB 1240 Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
3/04 SB 235 Ban on Required Human Microchip Implantation
3/03 HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
3/03 HB 1182 Point Reduction for Seat Belt Use Bill Failed - Senate (18 - 25)
3/03 H 3418 Requiring Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (67 - 44)
3/02 SJR 14 Legislative Regulation of Death Row Appeals Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 6)
2/27 LB 5 Trapping In Rights-of-Way Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
2/26 S 160 Washington DC Voting Act Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
2/26 SB 12 Establishing Domestic Partnerships Bill Failed - Senate (17 - 25)
2/25 SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 16)
2/25 SB 141 Allowing Increase of Penalties for Convicted Public Officials Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 12)
2/25 SB 44 Prohibiting Smoking in Cars with Children Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/25 SB 961 Expanding Death Penalty Eligibility to Accomplices Bill Passed - House (74 - 26)
2/25 SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/25 SB 78 Seat Belt Violation as Primary Offense Bill Passed - House (60 - 31)
2/25 HB 28 Increasing Penalties for Intimidation of Judges Bill Passed - House (43 - 21)
2/25 SB 23 Admissibility of Seat Belt Evidence in Court Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 12)
2/24 SB 1035 Allowing Guns in Alcohol-Serving Establishments Bill Passed - House (66 - 33)
2/24 HB 1826 Driver's License Suspension for Unexcused School Absences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 3)

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