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 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9556 Authorizes Casino Gambling Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9556 Authorizes Casino Gambling Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
March 9, 2012 FL HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
March 8, 2012 WY SF 27 Public Meetings Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 3)
March 8, 2012 UT SB 208 Interstate Health Care Compact Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 7)
March 8, 2012 WY SF 25 Amends Public Records Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 8)
March 8, 2012 WY SF 25 Amends Public Records Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 8)
March 8, 2012 UT SB 208 Interstate Health Care Compact Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 27)
March 8, 2012 National S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
March 8, 2012 VA SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
March 7, 2012 UT HB 148 Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
March 7, 2012 FL HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
March 7, 2012 UT HB 148 Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
March 7, 2012 FL HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
March 7, 2012 PA HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
March 7, 2012 NH SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
March 7, 2012 GA SB 438 Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
March 6, 2012 VA HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
March 6, 2012 AZ HCR 2056 Matches State Minimum Wage to Federal Minimum Resolution Passed - House (39 - 18)
March 6, 2012 WI AJR 63 Limits Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37)
March 6, 2012 WI AJR 63 Limits Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 A 9556 Authorizes Casino Gambling Amendment Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/14 A 9556 Authorizes Casino Gambling Amendment Adopted - House (96 - 45)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - House (98 - 44)
3/09 HB 1205 Authorizes Random Drug Tests of State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 14)
3/08 SF 27 Public Meetings Conference Report Adopted - House (54 - 3)
3/08 SB 208 Interstate Health Care Compact Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 7)
3/08 SF 25 Amends Public Records Laws Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 8)
3/08 SF 25 Amends Public Records Laws Conference Report Adopted - Senate (22 - 8)
3/08 SB 208 Interstate Health Care Compact Conference Report Adopted - House (45 - 27)
3/08 S Amdt 1537 Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline Project Amendment Rejected - Senate (56 - 42)
3/08 SB 1 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (66 - 31)
3/07 HB 148 Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State Concurrence Vote Passed - House (59 - 14)
3/07 HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
3/07 HB 148 Authorizes the Transfer of Federal Lands to the State Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 6)
3/07 HB 971 Amends Process of Judiciary Appointment Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
3/07 HB 934 Amends Voter Identification Laws Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 23)
3/07 SB 289 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 5)
3/07 SB 438 Prohibits State Employee Insurance Coverage of Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 18)
3/06 HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
3/06 HCR 2056 Matches State Minimum Wage to Federal Minimum Resolution Passed - House (39 - 18)
3/06 AJR 63 Limits Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37)
3/06 AJR 63 Limits Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37)

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