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
Nov. 5, 2009 WI SB 223 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements Bill Passed - House (59 - 34)
Oct. 15, 2009 IL HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1)
Oct. 9, 2009 PA HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92)
Oct. 8, 2009 MA SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
Sept. 22, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Sept. 22, 2009 WI AB 138 Board Appointment of the Secretary of Natural Resources Bill Passed - House (61 - 32)
Sept. 17, 2009 MA H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
Sept. 16, 2009 MO HB 544 Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71)
Sept. 15, 2009 National H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
Aug. 6, 2009 National PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
June 24, 2009 LA SB 278 Governor Records Disclosed Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
June 22, 2009 LA Amendment # B-480 Making Records of the Governor Public Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50)
June 22, 2009 LA Amendment # B-483 Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54)
June 22, 2009 LA SB 278 Governor Records Disclosed Bill Passed - House (62 - 41)
June 22, 2009 AZ HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11)
June 18, 2009 AZ HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18)
June 16, 2009 SC S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
June 2, 2009 CT SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - House (107 - 37)
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 21, 2009 NJ A 3902 Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
May 1, 2009 FL HB 479 Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 23)
May 1, 2009 FL HB 479 Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
April 29, 2009 ID S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 16)
April 16, 2009 ID S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/05 SB 223 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Geographic Composition Requirements Bill Passed - House (59 - 34)
10/15 HJRCA 31 Authorizing Governor Recall Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (56 - 1)
10/09 HB 1614 Fiscal Code Amendments Concurrence Vote Passed - House (106 - 92)
10/08 SB 2028 Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Plan Bill Passed - House (114 - 36)
9/22 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
9/22 AB 138 Board Appointment of the Secretary of Natural Resources Bill Passed - House (61 - 32)
9/17 H 4246 Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator Bill Passed - House (95 - 59)
9/16 HB 544 Increasing Legislative Oversight of Federal Funds Veto Override Failed - House (86 - 71)
9/15 H Res 744 Resolution of Disapproval of Representative Joe Wilson's Conduct Resolution Passed - House (240 - 179)
8/06 PN 506 Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (68 - 31)
6/24 SB 278 Governor Records Disclosed Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 8)
6/22 Amendment # B-480 Making Records of the Governor Public Amendment Rejected - House (47 - 50)
6/22 Amendment # B-483 Shortening the Period Before Budget Records are Public Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 54)
6/22 SB 278 Governor Records Disclosed Bill Passed - House (62 - 41)
6/22 HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - Senate (17 - 11)
6/18 HCR 2019 Ends Affirmative Action Amendment Adopted - House (32 - 18)
6/16 S 351 State Ports Authority Amendments Veto Override Passed - Senate (35 - 9)
6/02 SB 913 Elections to Fill US Senate Vacancies Bill Passed - House (107 - 37)
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)
5/21 A 3902 Election Requirements for Lieutenant Governor Bill Passed - House (45 - 29)
5/01 HB 479 Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement Concurrence Vote Passed - House (93 - 23)
5/01 HB 479 Amendments Regarding Public Employee Retirement Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
4/29 S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - House (50 - 16)
4/16 S 1166 Workers' Compensation Dividend Amendments Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)

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