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
April 5, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
April 4, 2012 AZ HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
April 4, 2012 CT HJ 2 Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50)
April 4, 2012 PA HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
April 4, 2012 LA HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - House (60 - 41)
April 4, 2012 PA HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
April 3, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
April 3, 2012 MN HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
March 29, 2012 MO HB 1046 Requires Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates Bill Passed - House (92 - 49)
March 29, 2012 MI HB 5061 Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (65 - 45)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
March 28, 2012 ID H 660 Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
March 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 28, 2012 OH SB 295 Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 1560 Joining an Interstate Health Care Compact to Opt-Out of Federal Health Care Programs Bill Passed - House (221 - 131)
March 27, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
March 27, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
March 27, 2012 MD SB 892 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 26, 2012 MN HF 545 Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 60)
March 26, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
March 23, 2012 ID H 619 Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
March 23, 2012 ID SJM 104 Urging Congress to Repeal Insurance Coverage of Contraception Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 16)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/05 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (35 - 29)
4/04 HB 2434 Requires Federal Agents to Notify Local Law Enforcement Prior to Taking Action Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 8)
4/04 HJ 2 Authorizes Absentee Ballots for Any Reason Resolution Passed - House (97 - 50)
4/04 HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
4/04 HB 209 Reduces Voting Hours Bill Passed - House (60 - 41)
4/04 HB 153 Reduces the Number of Members in the General Assembly Bill Passed - House (140 - 49)
4/03 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
4/03 HF 2738 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (72 - 57)
3/29 HB 1046 Requires Proof of Citizenship for Presidential Candidates Bill Passed - House (92 - 49)
3/29 HB 5061 Requires Photo Identification for Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (65 - 45)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - House (246 - 112)
3/28 H 660 Amends the Judicial Retirement Fund Bill Passed - House (46 - 22)
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/28 SB 295 Repealing Provisions of the Election Revision Code Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
3/28 HB 1560 Joining an Interstate Health Care Compact to Opt-Out of Federal Health Care Programs Bill Passed - House (221 - 131)
3/27 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
3/27 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - House (61 - 47)
3/27 SB 892 Expands Gambling Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/26 HF 545 Requires State Budget to Include Federal Insolvency Contingency Plan Concurrence Vote Passed - House (70 - 60)
3/26 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - House (53 - 16)
3/23 H 619 Prohibits Speed Limit Regulation by Local Authorities Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 9)
3/23 SJM 104 Urging Congress to Repeal Insurance Coverage of Contraception Joint Resolution Passed - House (51 - 16)

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