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 7, 2021 ID S 1110 Increases the Counties Needed to Reach 6 Percent of Signatures for an Initiative Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
April 7, 2021 AR SB 557 Amends the Duties of County Board Election Commissioner Members Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
April 7, 2021 NE LB 17 Increases Court Fees to Pay for Judges' Retirement Plans Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
April 7, 2021 AR SB 498 Requires Written Complaints be Sent by the County Board of Election Commissioners to the State Board of Election Commissioners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
April 6, 2021 WY HB 136 Amends Ballot Language to Include Gender-Neutral Pronouns Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 19)
April 6, 2021 MD HB 1048 Requires the Local Board of Elections Consider Certain Factors when Determining Ballot Drop Box Locations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
April 6, 2021 AL HB 388 Requires General Election Laws be Implemented 6 Months Before a General Election Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
April 6, 2021 NV SB 47 Authorizes Borrowing Money for Programs Approved by the State Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
April 5, 2021 WA SB 5015 Classifies Misrepresentation of Unofficial Ballot Collection Sites as Official Drop Boxes as a Gross Misdemeanor Bill Passed - House (92 - 5)
April 5, 2021 PA HB 335 Establishes the Permanent Status of Daylight Savings Time Bill Passed - House (103 - 98)
April 2, 2021 MD SB 683 Authorizes Individuals to Request Permanent Absentee Voting Status Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
April 2, 2021 WY HB 127 Limits the Time Period for Protective Orders to a Period of 10 Days Without Corresponding County or Commission Approval Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
April 1, 2021 IN SB 260 Authorizes 16 or 17 Year-Olds to Serve as a Precinct Election Officers on Election Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
April 1, 2021 WY HB 75 Requires Individuals Provide Identification before Being Allowed to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 8)
April 1, 2021 AR SB 496 Establishes Uniform Dates for Holding Special Elections Bill Passed - House (74 - 9)
April 1, 2021 MD SB 683 Authorizes Individuals to Request Permanent Absentee Voting Status Bill Passed - House (95 - 40)
April 1, 2021 MD HB 670 Repeals the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights and Replaces it With a Multistep System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
April 1, 2021 AR HB 1803 Amends the Complaint Process for Election Law Violations Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
April 1, 2021 AL SB 97 Reduces the Power of the Public Health Officer During a Public Health Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 1, 2021 AL SB 97 Reduces the Power of the Public Health Officer During a Public Health Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
April 1, 2021 AR SB 486 Prohibits Individuals from Entering or Remaining in an Area Where Voting is Taking Place Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
April 1, 2021 FL HB 735 Prohibits Local Governments from Requiring a License for a Contractor or Journeyman Type Job Bill Passed - House (82 - 32)
April 1, 2021 TX SB 7 Prohibits Election Officials from Mailing Unsolicited Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
April 1, 2021 AR HB 1715 Requires Voters' Signatures on Absentee Ballots Match the Signature from Their Voter Registration Application Bill Passed - House (74 - 22)
April 1, 2021 AR SB 487 Requires Election Officials to Ensure Electronic Pollbooks are Secure Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/07 S 1110 Increases the Counties Needed to Reach 6 Percent of Signatures for an Initiative Bill Passed - House (51 - 18)
4/07 SB 557 Amends the Duties of County Board Election Commissioner Members Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 6)
4/07 LB 17 Increases Court Fees to Pay for Judges' Retirement Plans Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 13)
4/07 SB 498 Requires Written Complaints be Sent by the County Board of Election Commissioners to the State Board of Election Commissioners Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
4/06 HB 136 Amends Ballot Language to Include Gender-Neutral Pronouns Concurrence Vote Passed - House (38 - 19)
4/06 HB 1048 Requires the Local Board of Elections Consider Certain Factors when Determining Ballot Drop Box Locations Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
4/06 HB 388 Requires General Election Laws be Implemented 6 Months Before a General Election Bill Passed - House (75 - 24)
4/06 SB 47 Authorizes Borrowing Money for Programs Approved by the State Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 7)
4/05 SB 5015 Classifies Misrepresentation of Unofficial Ballot Collection Sites as Official Drop Boxes as a Gross Misdemeanor Bill Passed - House (92 - 5)
4/05 HB 335 Establishes the Permanent Status of Daylight Savings Time Bill Passed - House (103 - 98)
4/02 SB 683 Authorizes Individuals to Request Permanent Absentee Voting Status Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
4/02 HB 127 Limits the Time Period for Protective Orders to a Period of 10 Days Without Corresponding County or Commission Approval Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 10)
4/01 SB 260 Authorizes 16 or 17 Year-Olds to Serve as a Precinct Election Officers on Election Day Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
4/01 HB 75 Requires Individuals Provide Identification before Being Allowed to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (51 - 8)
4/01 SB 496 Establishes Uniform Dates for Holding Special Elections Bill Passed - House (74 - 9)
4/01 SB 683 Authorizes Individuals to Request Permanent Absentee Voting Status Bill Passed - House (95 - 40)
4/01 HB 670 Repeals the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights and Replaces it With a Multistep System Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 15)
4/01 HB 1803 Amends the Complaint Process for Election Law Violations Bill Passed - House (78 - 18)
4/01 SB 97 Reduces the Power of the Public Health Officer During a Public Health Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/01 SB 97 Reduces the Power of the Public Health Officer During a Public Health Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
4/01 SB 486 Prohibits Individuals from Entering or Remaining in an Area Where Voting is Taking Place Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)
4/01 HB 735 Prohibits Local Governments from Requiring a License for a Contractor or Journeyman Type Job Bill Passed - House (82 - 32)
4/01 SB 7 Prohibits Election Officials from Mailing Unsolicited Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 13)
4/01 HB 1715 Requires Voters' Signatures on Absentee Ballots Match the Signature from Their Voter Registration Application Bill Passed - House (74 - 22)
4/01 SB 487 Requires Election Officials to Ensure Electronic Pollbooks are Secure Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 7)

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