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
May 28, 2009 LA SB 186 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
May 27, 2009 LA Amendment # 1874 Video Draw Poker Device Location Restriction Amendment Adopted - Senate (18 - 16)
May 27, 2009 OR HB 2599 Expanding School Bullying Law Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2)
May 20, 2009 ME LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16)
May 20, 2009 NH HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
May 20, 2009 NH HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
May 20, 2009 IL HB 255 Video Gambling in Various Establishments Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12)
May 18, 2009 MN SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
May 18, 2009 OR HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
May 18, 2009 OR HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
May 18, 2009 MN HF 108 Primary Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 19)
May 14, 2009 NC SB 461 Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
May 14, 2009 CA SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
May 14, 2009 CA SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
May 14, 2009 CA SB 4 Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 13, 2009 WI SB 181 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
May 12, 2009 National S Amdt 1067 Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
May 12, 2009 DE HB 100 Reestablishing a Sports Lottery Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2)
May 11, 2009 TX HB 1736 Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 11, 2009 TX HB 1736 Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
May 11, 2009 NC HB 2 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
May 8, 2009 FL SB 788 Gambling Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9)
May 6, 2009 ME LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
May 6, 2009 ME LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
May 6, 2009 NC SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/28 SB 186 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
5/27 Amendment # 1874 Video Draw Poker Device Location Restriction Amendment Adopted - Senate (18 - 16)
5/27 HB 2599 Expanding School Bullying Law Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 2)
5/20 LD 290 Out-of-State Health Insurance "Ought Not to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16)
5/20 HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
5/20 HB 73 Religious Choice in Performing Marriage Ceremonies Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
5/20 HB 255 Video Gambling in Various Establishments Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 12)
5/18 SF 97 Legalizing Medical Marijuana Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (38 - 28)
5/18 HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
5/18 HB 2509 Sexual Education Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9)
5/18 HF 108 Primary Seat Belt Law Bill Passed - Senate (47 - 19)
5/14 SB 461 Racial Discrimination in Capital Sentences Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 10)
5/14 SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
5/14 SB 572 Harvey Milk Day Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
5/14 SB 4 Prohibiting Smoking at State Park Beaches Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/13 SB 181 Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 8)
5/12 S Amdt 1067 Allowing Loaded Guns in National Parks Amendment Adopted - Senate (67 - 29)
5/12 HB 100 Reestablishing a Sports Lottery Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 2)
5/11 HB 1736 Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/11 HB 1736 Increasing Wrongful Conviction Compensation Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
5/11 HB 2 Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
5/08 SB 788 Gambling Expansion Conference Report Adopted - Senate (31 - 9)
5/06 LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
5/06 LD 1020 Same Sex Marriage Bill Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
5/06 SB 526 Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)

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