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
April 12, 2021 MD SB 525 Requires the Baltimore City Centralized Booking Facility Provide a Secure Designated Ballot Drop Box Bill Passed - House (95 - 43)
April 12, 2021 TX SB 1114 Requires Voter Registrars Cross-Reference Voter Rolls with the DMV to Remove Ineligible Voters Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
April 12, 2021 TX SB 1112 Increases Penalties for Accepting Early Mail-In Ballots Without Verifying the Signature Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
April 12, 2021 CO SB 21-188 Authorizes a Voter with a Disability to Print the Ballot or Return the Ballot by Electronic Transmission Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
April 10, 2021 MD HB 156 Authorizes a Military or Overseas Voter to Submit a Federal Post Card Application to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 25)
April 9, 2021 HI SB 159 Requires Automatic Voter Registration When Receiving Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - House (49 - 1)
April 9, 2021 NH HB 183 Prohibits Municipalities from Requiring a License for a Soft Drink Stand "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 163)
April 9, 2021 NH CACR 9 Prohibits Municipalities from Raising Property Taxes "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (164 - 208)
April 9, 2021 NH HB 566 Requires Minutes of Meetings in Nonpublic Sessions to be Made Available Unless it Would Damage the Reputation of the Body "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (201 - 178)
April 9, 2021 NH HB 439 Limits the Authority of City Councils Bill Failed - House (185 - 192)
April 9, 2021 TX HB 1239 Prohibits Elected Officials from Closing Places of Worship Bill Passed - House (122 - 22)
April 8, 2021 MD HB 1048 Requires the Local Board of Elections Consider Certain Factors when Determining Ballot Drop Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (97 - 42)
April 8, 2021 TN HB 1448 Authorizes Non-Resident Property Owners to Vote in Municipal Elections Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
April 8, 2021 NH HB 523 Requires Those who Register to Vote and Don't Have Identification to be Photographed "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (197 - 172)
April 8, 2021 NH HB 285 Limits the Process of Verifying Local Voter Checklists by the Secretary of State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (199 - 172)
April 8, 2021 NH HB 292 Requires Voters Verify Their Identity in Order to Receive an Absentee Ballot Bill Passed - House (198 - 174)
April 8, 2021 TN SB 1120 Prohibits a Multi-Candidate Political Campaign Committee Officer from Running for State Office if Lawyer Fees Remain Unpaid Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
April 8, 2021 NH HB 98 Establishes a New Date for the State Primary Bill Passed - House (195 - 174)
April 7, 2021 ID H 214 Specifies Responsibilities of the Chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission Veto Override Passed - House (62 - 7)
April 7, 2021 VA SB 1245 Requires the Establishment of Drop-Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 45)
April 7, 2021 VA SB 1245 Requires the Establishment of Drop-Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
April 7, 2021 ID S 1136 Establishes Restrictions on the Governor's Authority During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
April 7, 2021 AZ HCR 2023 Prohibits the Federal Government's Interference in the State's Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 7, 2021 AZ HCR 2023 Prohibits the Federal Government's Interference in the State's Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
April 7, 2021 AZ HB 2569 Prohibits Election Administrators from Receiving Private Funding for Conducting Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/12 SB 525 Requires the Baltimore City Centralized Booking Facility Provide a Secure Designated Ballot Drop Box Bill Passed - House (95 - 43)
4/12 SB 1114 Requires Voter Registrars Cross-Reference Voter Rolls with the DMV to Remove Ineligible Voters Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
4/12 SB 1112 Increases Penalties for Accepting Early Mail-In Ballots Without Verifying the Signature Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
4/12 SB 21-188 Authorizes a Voter with a Disability to Print the Ballot or Return the Ballot by Electronic Transmission Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
4/10 HB 156 Authorizes a Military or Overseas Voter to Submit a Federal Post Card Application to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (108 - 25)
4/09 SB 159 Requires Automatic Voter Registration When Receiving Driver's Licenses Bill Passed - House (49 - 1)
4/09 HB 183 Prohibits Municipalities from Requiring a License for a Soft Drink Stand "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (211 - 163)
4/09 CACR 9 Prohibits Municipalities from Raising Property Taxes "Ought to Pass" Report Not Adopted - House (164 - 208)
4/09 HB 566 Requires Minutes of Meetings in Nonpublic Sessions to be Made Available Unless it Would Damage the Reputation of the Body "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (201 - 178)
4/09 HB 439 Limits the Authority of City Councils Bill Failed - House (185 - 192)
4/09 HB 1239 Prohibits Elected Officials from Closing Places of Worship Bill Passed - House (122 - 22)
4/08 HB 1048 Requires the Local Board of Elections Consider Certain Factors when Determining Ballot Drop Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (97 - 42)
4/08 HB 1448 Authorizes Non-Resident Property Owners to Vote in Municipal Elections Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
4/08 HB 523 Requires Those who Register to Vote and Don't Have Identification to be Photographed "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (197 - 172)
4/08 HB 285 Limits the Process of Verifying Local Voter Checklists by the Secretary of State "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (199 - 172)
4/08 HB 292 Requires Voters Verify Their Identity in Order to Receive an Absentee Ballot Bill Passed - House (198 - 174)
4/08 SB 1120 Prohibits a Multi-Candidate Political Campaign Committee Officer from Running for State Office if Lawyer Fees Remain Unpaid Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 6)
4/08 HB 98 Establishes a New Date for the State Primary Bill Passed - House (195 - 174)
4/07 H 214 Specifies Responsibilities of the Chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission Veto Override Passed - House (62 - 7)
4/07 SB 1245 Requires the Establishment of Drop-Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 45)
4/07 SB 1245 Requires the Establishment of Drop-Box Locations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
4/07 S 1136 Establishes Restrictions on the Governor's Authority During an Emergency Bill Passed - House (54 - 16)
4/07 HCR 2023 Prohibits the Federal Government's Interference in the State's Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/07 HCR 2023 Prohibits the Federal Government's Interference in the State's Elections Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (16 - 14)
4/07 HB 2569 Prohibits Election Administrators from Receiving Private Funding for Conducting Elections Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14)

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