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 15, 2013 IL HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
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 NJ S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
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 CT HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 8, 2013 CT HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
May 6, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
May 2, 2013 MO HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
May 2, 2013 CO HB 1303 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
May 2, 2013 NC SB 612 Amends Environmental Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
April 30, 2013 AZ SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
April 30, 2013 AL SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
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 DE SB 21 Requires the Governor to Appoint Labor Union Representatives to a State Benefits Committee Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
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 ME SP 548 Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
April 30, 2013 ME SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
April 25, 2013 National S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)
April 25, 2013 MI SJR S Establishes a Constitutional Authorization for Individuals to Hunt and Fish Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
April 25, 2013 MI SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 25, 2013 MI SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 22, 2013 IN SB 225 Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/15 HB 226 Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9)
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 S 968 Establishes Procedures for Privatization Contracts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
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 HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/08 HJR 36 Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
5/06 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 27)
5/02 HB 436 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 6)
5/02 HB 1303 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15)
5/02 SB 612 Amends Environmental Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
4/30 SB 1439 Authorizes the Use of Gold and Silver as Legal Tender Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 10)
4/30 SB 93 Prohibits the Enforcement of Federal Firearm Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 6)
4/30 SP 548 Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
4/30 SB 21 Requires the Governor to Appoint Labor Union Representatives to a State Benefits Committee Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 8)
4/30 SP 548 Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
4/30 SP 548 Urges Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
4/30 SP 550 Alleges Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
4/25 S 743 Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Cloture Invoked - Senate (63 - 30)
4/25 SJR S Establishes a Constitutional Authorization for Individuals to Hunt and Fish Amendment Adopted - Senate (25 - 11)
4/25 SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/25 SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/22 SB 225 Establishes Procedures to Appoint Constitutional Convention Delegates Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11)

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