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
May 22, 2013 National H Amdt 67 Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269)
May 22, 2013 LA SB 153 Requires Equal Pay for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
May 20, 2013 NJ S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 17, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
May 17, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
May 17, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
May 16, 2013 AZ SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
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 15, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
May 15, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
May 15, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
May 14, 2013 WI AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
May 14, 2013 WI AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
May 13, 2013 OR SB 602 Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake Bill Passed - House (37 - 20)
May 13, 2013 NJ S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 8, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
May 8, 2013 MO SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
May 8, 2013 CT HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/22 H Amdt 67 Requires a Finding be Added Concerning Oil Sand Crudes Amendment Rejected - House (146 - 269)
5/22 SB 153 Requires Equal Pay for State Employees Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
5/20 S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - House (48 - 29)
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/17 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
5/17 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
5/17 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - House (69 - 62)
5/16 SB 1492 Expands Medicaid Eligibility Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11)
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)
5/15 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
5/15 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
5/15 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Failed - House (61 - 80)
5/14 AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/14 AB 85 Amends Milwaukee County Board Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 14)
5/13 SB 602 Prohibits Motorized Boats and Seaplanes on Waldo Lake Bill Passed - House (37 - 20)
5/13 S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/08 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (116 - 38)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
5/08 SB 265 Prohibits Compliance with United Nations Agenda 21 Bill Passed - House (118 - 37)
5/08 HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)

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