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
Feb. 23, 2011 TX SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2011 TX SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
Feb. 23, 2011 MT HB 382 Nullification of Federal Laws Bill Failed - House (42 - 57)
Feb. 23, 2011 MT HB 516 Limiting Local Ordinances Bill Passed - House (62 - 37)
Feb. 23, 2011 MT HB 550 Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Greenhouse Gas Regulatory Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 31)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 VT S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
Feb. 22, 2011 CO HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
Feb. 22, 2011 MT SB 254 Eminent Domain Over Federal Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
Feb. 22, 2011 GA HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
Feb. 21, 2011 AR HB 1115 Absentee Mayor Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
Feb. 21, 2011 MT SB 228 Prohibits Creation of Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 21, 2011 ND HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
Feb. 19, 2011 National H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
Feb. 19, 2011 MT SB 114 Communication Between Federal Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 18, 2011 MT SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
Feb. 17, 2011 IA HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
Feb. 17, 2011 IA HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
Feb. 17, 2011 MO SB 3 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
Feb. 17, 2011 ND HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
Feb. 17, 2011 ND HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
Feb. 16, 2011 ID H 117 Prohibits Enforcement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
Feb. 16, 2011 AR HB 1002 Capital Gains Reduction Act Bill Passed - House (53 - 43)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/23 SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/23 SJR 1 Urging Congress to Propose a Balanced Budget Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (24 - 7)
2/23 HB 382 Nullification of Federal Laws Bill Failed - House (42 - 57)
2/23 HB 516 Limiting Local Ordinances Bill Passed - House (62 - 37)
2/23 HB 550 Prohibits Enforcement of Federal Greenhouse Gas Regulatory Program Bill Passed - House (68 - 31)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 S 31 Electing the President by Popular Vote Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 10)
2/22 HB 1003 Changes to Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 30)
2/22 SB 254 Eminent Domain Over Federal Property Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 23)
2/22 HB 92 Limits Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (148 - 20)
2/21 HB 1115 Absentee Mayor Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9)
2/21 SB 228 Prohibits Creation of Health Insurance Exchange Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/21 HB 1263 Athletic Nickname and Logo of the University of North Dakota Bill Passed - House (65 - 28)
2/19 H Amdt 155 Prohibits Use of Funds for Step Increase for General Schedule Employees Amendment Rejected - House (191 - 230)
2/19 SB 114 Communication Between Federal Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 22)
2/18 SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/18 SB 268 Election of Supreme Court Justices by District Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 20)
2/17 HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
2/17 HF 260 House Rule School Governance Bill Passed - House (65 - 30)
2/17 SB 3 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
2/17 HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
2/17 HB 1267 Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (72 - 21)
2/16 H 117 Prohibits Enforcement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Bill Passed - House (49 - 20)
2/16 HB 1002 Capital Gains Reduction Act Bill Passed - House (53 - 43)

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