Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Feb. 27, 2021 VA SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
Feb. 27, 2021 VA HJ 555 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 40)
Feb. 27, 2021 VA SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 40)
Feb. 26, 2021 KY HB 574 Authorizes Early In-Person Voting and Mail-In Voting Restrictions Bill Passed - House (93 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2021 SD HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
Feb. 25, 2021 MT HB 429 Rescinds Gubernatorial Power to Suspend Election Laws During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
Feb. 25, 2021 ID H 223 Prohibits Certain Ballot Collection Practices Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
Feb. 24, 2021 VA HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 45)
Feb. 24, 2021 IA SF 413 Amends the State's Voting Laws Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
Feb. 24, 2021 AR HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
Feb. 24, 2021 IA HF 590 Reduces the Number of Mail-In and In-Person Voting Days Amendment Rejected - House (37 - 57)
Feb. 24, 2021 MO HB 334 Requires Photo ID to Cast a Ballot Bill Passed - House (109 - 46)
Feb. 24, 2021 GA SB 89 Establishes a New Position at the State Board of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
Feb. 24, 2021 WA HB 1068 Prohibits Disclosing Records to the Public to Preserve Election Security Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
Feb. 24, 2021 NY S 830 Extends Voting Rights to Convicted Felons on Parole Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
Feb. 24, 2021 WA HB 1078 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA SB 1148 Amends the Primary Election Date Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA HB 1888 Requires the Creation of More Ballot Drop Boxes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 43)
Feb. 23, 2021 VA HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Feb. 23, 2021 GA SB 40 Requires County Officials Count Ballots 8 Days Before an Election (53 - 0)
Feb. 23, 2021 GA SB 184 Requires that Voting Records be Updated Within 30 Days After an Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
Feb. 23, 2021 IA SF 413 Amends the State's Voting Laws Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
Feb. 23, 2021 GA SB 67 Requires Photo ID For Absentee Ballots Applications (35 - 18)
Feb. 22, 2021 VA SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/27 SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
2/27 HJ 555 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 40)
2/27 SJ 272 Amends the Qualifications to Vote Conference Report Adopted - House (56 - 40)
2/26 HB 574 Authorizes Early In-Person Voting and Mail-In Voting Restrictions Bill Passed - House (93 - 4)
2/25 HB 1125 Requires All Ballots to be Counted Before the Counting Board Leaves Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4)
2/25 HB 429 Rescinds Gubernatorial Power to Suspend Election Laws During Emergencies Bill Passed - House (71 - 27)
2/25 H 223 Prohibits Certain Ballot Collection Practices Bill Passed - House (56 - 12)
2/24 HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 45)
2/24 SF 413 Amends the State's Voting Laws Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
2/24 HB 1112 Requires Presenting Identification in Order to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 9)
2/24 HF 590 Reduces the Number of Mail-In and In-Person Voting Days Amendment Rejected - House (37 - 57)
2/24 HB 334 Requires Photo ID to Cast a Ballot Bill Passed - House (109 - 46)
2/24 SB 89 Establishes a New Position at the State Board of Elections Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 18)
2/24 HB 1068 Prohibits Disclosing Records to the Public to Preserve Election Security Bill Passed - House (61 - 37)
2/24 S 830 Extends Voting Rights to Convicted Felons on Parole Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 20)
2/24 HB 1078 Extends Voting Rights to Citizens on Parole Bill Passed - House (57 - 41)
2/23 SB 1148 Amends the Primary Election Date Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (25 - 14)
2/23 SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 17)
2/23 HB 1888 Requires the Creation of More Ballot Drop Boxes Concurrence Vote Passed - House (53 - 43)
2/23 HB 2020 Amends the Nomination Processes to Accommodate Servicemembers on Active Duty Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
2/23 SB 40 Requires County Officials Count Ballots 8 Days Before an Election (53 - 0)
2/23 SB 184 Requires that Voting Records be Updated Within 30 Days After an Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 15)
2/23 SF 413 Amends the State's Voting Laws Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18)
2/23 SB 67 Requires Photo ID For Absentee Ballots Applications (35 - 18)
2/22 SB 1097 Rescinds the Mandate for a Witness Signature on Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - House (55 - 45)

arrow_upward