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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 23, 2012 | ID | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 16) |
| Feb. 23, 2012 | CO | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 21, 2012 | WI | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| Feb. 16, 2012 | AZ | SB 1484 | Prohibits Certain Deductions from Public Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 15, 2012 | NH | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 14, 2012 | MI | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| Feb. 9, 2012 | AZ | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| Feb. 6, 2012 | VA | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1491 | Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Feb. 2, 2012 | National | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | WA | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| Feb. 1, 2012 | RI | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| Jan. 27, 2012 | UT | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Jan. 26, 2012 | National | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| Jan. 23, 2012 | IN | SB 170 | Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| Jan. 20, 2012 | VA | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Jan. 19, 2012 | TN | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Jan. 18, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Jan. 13, 2012 | TN | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/23 | HB 391 | Repeals the Presidential Primary Election | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 16) |
| 2/23 | SB 147 | Prohibits False Information Regarding Election Procedures and Voter Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SJR 21 | Prohibits mandated health insurance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/21 | SB 386 | Removes Voter Registration at High Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16) |
| 2/16 | SB 1484 | Prohibits Certain Deductions from Public Employee Paychecks | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/15 | CACR 6 | Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases | Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7) |
| 2/14 | SB 751 | Photo Identification Requirements for Absentee Voters | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/14 | SB 754 | Requires Photo Identification for Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
| 2/09 | SB 1061 | Authorizes Schools to Opt-Out of the National School Lunch Program | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10) |
| 2/06 | SB 1 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 1491 | Requires Disclosure of Financial Transactions by Executive Branch Employees | Amendment Adopted - Senate (58 - 41) |
| 2/02 | S Amdt 1472 | Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks | Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59) |
| 2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 2/02 | S 2038 | Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials | Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3) |
| 2/01 | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| 2/01 | EHCR 4409 | Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4) |
| 2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| 2/01 | S 2178 | State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2) |
| 1/27 | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| 1/27 | HB 286 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0) |
| 1/26 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 1/26 | H J Res 98 | Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit | Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54) |
| 1/23 | SB 170 | Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest in Local Government | Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 11) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 1/20 | HB 251 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 1/19 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 1/19 | SB 1514 | State Senate Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 1/18 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 1/18 | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1555 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 1/13 | HB 1558 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |