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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2013 | AL | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| May 15, 2013 | IL | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9) |
| May 15, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80) |
| May 8, 2013 | CT | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| May 8, 2013 | MN | HF 894 | Amends Election Provisions | Bill Passed - House (74 - 60) |
| May 3, 2013 | CO | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| May 2, 2013 | CO | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| April 30, 2013 | ME | SP 548 | Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 31) |
| April 30, 2013 | ME | SP 548 | Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| April 30, 2013 | AL | HB 162 | Amends the Voter Registration Deadline | Bill Passed - House (67 - 34) |
| April 26, 2013 | TX | HB 148 | Prohibits Multiple Ballots from Being Turned in by 1 Individual | Bill Passed - House (93 - 48) |
| April 24, 2013 | FL | HB 569 | Amends State Campaign Finance Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| April 23, 2013 | NV | AB 441 | Authorizes Voting Centers for All Eligible Voters in a City or County | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| April 19, 2013 | MT | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 19, 2013 | MT | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| April 18, 2013 | AZ | HB 2282 | Requires a Primary During Recall Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18) |
| April 17, 2013 | MT | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Bill Passed - House (57 - 43) |
| April 17, 2013 | MT | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| April 17, 2013 | IL | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - House (95 - 22) |
| April 17, 2013 | CT | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - House (90 - 49) |
| April 9, 2013 | AR | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| April 9, 2013 | AZ | HB 2593 | Amends Campaign Finance Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| April 9, 2013 | AR | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
| April 8, 2013 | MD | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 40) |
| April 8, 2013 | MD | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/20 | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
| 5/15 | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9) |
| 5/15 | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80) |
| 5/08 | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
| 5/08 | HF 894 | Amends Election Provisions | Bill Passed - House (74 - 60) |
| 5/03 | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 28) |
| 5/02 | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
| 4/30 | SP 548 | Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - House (111 - 31) |
| 4/30 | SP 548 | Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
| 4/30 | HB 162 | Amends the Voter Registration Deadline | Bill Passed - House (67 - 34) |
| 4/26 | HB 148 | Prohibits Multiple Ballots from Being Turned in by 1 Individual | Bill Passed - House (93 - 48) |
| 4/24 | HB 569 | Amends State Campaign Finance Laws | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 34) |
| 4/23 | AB 441 | Authorizes Voting Centers for All Eligible Voters in a City or County | Bill Passed - House (26 - 15) |
| 4/19 | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/19 | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
| 4/18 | HB 2282 | Requires a Primary During Recall Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18) |
| 4/17 | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Bill Passed - House (57 - 43) |
| 4/17 | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (58 - 42) |
| 4/17 | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - House (95 - 22) |
| 4/17 | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - House (90 - 49) |
| 4/09 | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
| 4/09 | HB 2593 | Amends Campaign Finance Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
| 4/09 | HJR 1009 | Amends Campaign Contribution Laws | Joint Resolution Passed - House (71 - 12) |
| 4/08 | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (99 - 40) |
| 4/08 | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |