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:
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.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2018 | CA | AB 216 | Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| April 5, 2018 | CA | SB 1171 | Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| May 4, 2017 | CA | AB 84 | Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| March 20, 2017 | CA | AB 18 | Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Appropriate $3 Billion to State Parks | Bill Passed - House (59 - 19) |
| Aug. 16, 2016 | CA | AB 2466 | Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| May 31, 2016 | CA | AB 2466 | Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| Aug. 20, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 31) |
| Aug. 17, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| June 2, 2015 | CA | AB 1461 | Establishes the California New Motor Voter Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| May 26, 2015 | CA | AB 884 | Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| May 26, 2015 | CA | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| June 23, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | SB 1253 | Amends Legislative Initiative Measure Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| May 29, 2014 | CA | AB 1873 | Authorizes the Use of Mail Ballots During Special Elections | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| May 8, 2014 | CA | SB 27 | Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| May 5, 2014 | CA | SB 27 | Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors | Bill Passed - House (58 - 12) |
| March 10, 2014 | CA | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| Feb. 20, 2014 | CA | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| Aug. 8, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| July 8, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| May 23, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| April 4, 2013 | CA | AB 131 | Amends Voter Registration Requirements | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
| Aug. 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
| Aug. 23, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| June 27, 2012 | CA | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| May 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| Jan. 31, 2012 | CA | AB 1148 | Requires Political Advertisements to Disclose Funding Sources | Bill Failed - House (52 - 26) |
| Sept. 10, 2011 | CA | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Sept. 9, 2011 | CA | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Bill Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| July 14, 2011 | CA | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - House (48 - 28) |
| May 9, 2011 | CA | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| Aug. 25, 2010 | CA | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| Aug. 23, 2010 | CA | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 28) |
| Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| March 6, 2007 | CA | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| Feb. 13, 2007 | CA | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| Aug. 16, 2006 | CA | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| May 30, 2006 | CA | AB 2948 | Electoral College: Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| Jan. 30, 2006 | CA | AB 583 | California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/21 | AB 216 | Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 4/05 | SB 1171 | Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
| 5/04 | AB 84 | Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
| 3/20 | AB 18 | Authorizes a Ballot Measure to Appropriate $3 Billion to State Parks | Bill Passed - House (59 - 19) |
| 8/16 | AB 2466 | Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 5/31 | AB 2466 | Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons | Bill Passed - House (41 - 37) |
| 8/20 | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (48 - 31) |
| 8/17 | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
| 6/02 | AB 1461 | Establishes the California New Motor Voter Program | Bill Passed - House (52 - 26) |
| 5/26 | AB 884 | Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
| 5/26 | AB 1100 | Increases Ballot Initiative Fee | Bill Passed - House (46 - 28) |
| 6/23 | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 5/29 | SB 1253 | Amends Legislative Initiative Measure Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8) |
| 5/29 | AB 1873 | Authorizes the Use of Mail Ballots During Special Elections | Bill Passed - House (44 - 32) |
| 5/08 | SB 27 | Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 7) |
| 5/05 | SB 27 | Requires Certain Nonprofit Organizations to Disclose Donors | Bill Passed - House (58 - 12) |
| 3/10 | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 19) |
| 2/20 | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 9) |
| 1/30 | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
| 8/08 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
| 7/08 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
| 5/23 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
| 4/04 | AB 131 | Amends Voter Registration Requirements | Bill Passed - House (47 - 23) |
| 8/29 | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
| 8/27 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 29) |
| 8/23 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
| 6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 24) |
| 6/27 | AB 1499 | Ballot Order for Statewide Measures | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 15) |
| 5/31 | AB 1436 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (47 - 26) |
| 1/31 | AB 1148 | Requires Political Advertisements to Disclose Funding Sources | Bill Failed - House (52 - 26) |
| 9/10 | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 9/09 | SB 202 | Limiting Ballot Initiatives to the General Election | Bill Passed - House (45 - 30) |
| 7/14 | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 15) |
| 7/14 | AB 459 | National Popular Vote Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 7/14 | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - House (48 - 28) |
| 5/09 | SB 168 | Prohibits Paid Signature-Gatherers | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 8/25 | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 11) |
| 8/23 | SB 970 | College Vote-by-Mail Drop-Off Locations | Bill Passed - House (48 - 28) |
| 8/30 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
| 8/29 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
| 5/29 | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
| 2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
| 3/06 | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - House (46 - 29) |
| 2/13 | SB 113 | Presidential Primaries | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 5) |
| 8/16 | SCA 3 | Redistricting Commission | Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
| 5/30 | AB 2948 | Electoral College: Interstate Compact | Bill Passed - House (49 - 31) |
| 1/30 | AB 583 | California Clean Money and Fair Elections Act of 2006 | Bill Passed - House (47 - 31) |