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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 10, 2014 | CA | AB 800 | Authorizes the Fair Political Practices Commission to Conduct Audits and Investigations | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (54 - 19) |
Aug. 8, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (49 - 25) |
May 23, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - House (49 - 23) |
May 4, 2017 | CA | AB 84 | Authorizes Earlier Presidential Primary | Bill Passed - House (52 - 20) |
June 18, 2020 | CA | AB 860 | Authorizes Vote By Mail Absentee Ballots | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 5) |
May 26, 2015 | CA | AB 884 | Requires the Attorney General to Denote Ballot Initiatives That May Be Unconstitutional | Bill Passed - House (50 - 26) |
Aug. 29, 2012 | CA | ACA 10 | Limits Citizen-led Initiatives to Amend the State Constitution | Amendment Rejected - House (41 - 30) |
Jan. 30, 2014 | CA | AJR 1 | Requests Constitutional Convention to Overturn Citizens United | Bill Passed - House (51 - 20) |
April 17, 2007 | WI | AJR 17 | Voter Identification Constitutional Amendment | Bill Passed - House (54 - 43) |
March 6, 2012 | WI | AJR 63 | Limits Recalls of Elected Officials | Amendment Adopted - House (60 - 37) |
July 6, 2010 | NC | Amdt 2 | Lobbying Restrictions | Amendment Adopted - House (67 - 48) |
March 15, 2007 | KS | Amend HB 2542 | Presidential Primary Funding | Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34) |
March 23, 2021 | WI | AR 15 | Requires the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections to Investigate Administration of Elections in the State | Bill Passed - House (58 - 35) |
Oct. 18, 2012 | NJ | AR 86 | Opposes the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United Versus Federal Elections Commission | Resolution Passed - House (49 - 23) |
April 1, 2008 | MN | Buesgens Amnd. | Amendment Prohibiting Grants for Groups Involved in Political Activity | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 69) |
April 19, 2010 | AZ | Burges Amdt | Verification of Presidential Candidate's Birth Certificate | Motion Rejected - House (22 - 31) |
May 12, 2006 | MO | CCS2 HCS SS2 SCS SB 1014 | Voter Identification and Poll Regulation | Conference Report Adopted - House (84 - 73) |
May 11, 2006 | MO | CCS SS HCS HB 1900 | Campaign Finance and Lobbying | Conference Report Adopted - House (88 - 67) |
March 29, 2007 | NC | CS HB 91 | One-Stop Registration and Voting Sites | Bill Passed - House (66 - 45) |
April 7, 2008 | MN | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
Aug. 25, 2020 | ID | H 1 | Prohibits Exclusively Mail-In Elections | Bill Passed - House (67 - 0) |
Jan. 19, 2023 | ID | H 1 | Requires a Hand Recount of All Election Ballots | Bill Passed - House (69 - 0) |
March 8, 2017 | NC | H 100 | Restores Partisan Court Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (74 - 43) |
Feb. 20, 2023 | ID | H 124 | Prohibits Using Student ID at Voting Polls | Bill Passed - House (59 - 11) |
Feb. 24, 2023 | ID | H 138 | Amends Date of the State Presidential Primary from March to May | Bill Passed - House (61 - 6) |
Feb. 25, 2021 | ID | H 223 | Prohibits Certain Ballot Collection Practices | Bill Passed - House (56 - 12) |
June 23, 2021 | VT | H 227 | Amends Election Laws and Regulations for the City of Winooski | Veto Override Passed - House (103 - 47) |
March 29, 2019 | ID | H 296 | Amends Ballot Initiative Requirements | Bill Passed - House (47 - 22) |
March 10, 2021 | ID | H 299 | Prohibits Colleges and Universities from Providing Extra Credit for Voting | Bill Passed - House (63 - 6) |
April 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Conference Report Adopted - House (71 - 36) |
Jan. 26, 2011 | SC | H 3003 | Voter ID | Bill Passed - House (74 - 45) |
March 3, 2009 | SC | H 3418 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (67 - 44) |
March 10, 2021 | SC | H 3444 | Authorizes the State Election Commission to Establish Statewide Election Laws and Procedures | Bill Passed - House (84 - 36) |
April 16, 2021 | ID | H 350 | Requires Elections to Replace Trustees who are Recalled | Bill Passed - House (55 - 14) |
June 10, 2021 | MA | H 3871 | Appropriates Funds for a Supplemental Budget | Bill Passed - House (131 - 29) |
June 14, 2011 | SC | H 3992 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (83 - 25) |
July 20, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Motion Agreed - House (116 - 34) |
June 2, 2010 | MA | H 4156 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - House (114 - 35) |
Sept. 17, 2009 | MA | H 4246 | Authorizing Governor to Appoint Interim U.S. Senator | Bill Passed - House (95 - 59) |
March 2, 2023 | VT | H 429 | Authorizes Several Changes to Vermont Election Laws | Bill Failed - House (59 - 78) |
June 14, 2006 | SC | H 4410 | Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements Bill | Veto Override Failed - House (73 - 40) |
March 5, 2008 | SC | H 4620 | Expanding Governor's Appointment Power | Joint Resolution Passed - House (83 - 24) |
March 1, 2010 | ID | H 496 | Requiring Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - House (64 - 6) |
March 10, 2009 | RI | H 5005 | Voter Pre-Registration | Bill Passed - House (56 - 10) |
May 28, 2009 | RI | H 5097 | Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls | Bill Passed - House (48 - 24) |
Jan. 14, 2009 | RI | H 5097 | Requiring Voters to Present ID at Polls | |
Sept. 15, 2020 | SC | H 5305 | Authorizes Absentee Voting Due to the Declared State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (115 - 1) |
March 7, 2023 | RI | H 5305 | Specifies that Public Elementary and Secondary Schools will be Closed on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (71 - 0) |
June 18, 2009 | RI | H 5569 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Failed - House (28 - 45) |
May 31, 2017 | RI | H 5702A | Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at DMV | Bill Passed - House (62 - 10) |
June 12, 2023 | RI | H 5962 | Amends Provisions Regarding Rhode Island Campaign Contributions and Expenditure Reporting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (41 - 29) |
March 11, 2024 | ID | H 599 | Prohibits Ballot Harvesting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 11) |
June 16, 2021 | RI | H 6004 | Authorizes Persons with Disabilities and Persons Active in the Military to Receive and Return Mail Ballots Electronically | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
July 9, 2008 | MA | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
June 6, 2006 | RI | H 6874 | Ballot Questions from Governor | Veto Override Passed - House (50 - 23) |
May 17, 2022 | RI | H 7100 | Repeals Restrictions on Voting by Mail | (53 - 13) |
May 8, 2008 | RI | H 7106 | Allow Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - House (51 - 11) |
March 16, 2022 | VT | H 722 | Amends State House District Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (129 - 13) |
Feb. 15, 2022 | RI | H 7323 | Establishes Congressional, State District Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (58 - 8) |
March 15, 2022 | RI | H 7429 | Increases Polling Place Voter Capacity | Bill Passed - House (63 - 5) |
March 24, 2022 | ID | H 810 | Amends Law to Provide for Public Disclosure of Campaign Contact Telephone Numbers | Bill Passed - House (66 - 2) |
July 16, 2020 | RI | H 8102 | Authorizes the Distribution of Absentee Ballot Applications to Eligible Voters | Bill Passed - House (65 - 5) |
May 26, 2006 | TN | HA 1609 to HB 1114 | Primary Election Regulations Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 45) |
May 31, 2012 | MA | H Amdt 11 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Amendment Adopted - House (105 - 43) |
June 17, 1998 | National | H Amdt 688 | Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201) |
Aug. 3, 1998 | National | H Amdt 690 | Shays Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186) |
July 14, 1998 | National | H Amdt 694 | Express Advocacy Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 219) |
July 20, 1998 | National | H Amdt 716 | Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment | Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131) |
July 16, 1998 | National | H Amdt 723 | Increase FEC Funding | Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 210) |
July 20, 1998 | National | H Amdt 744 | Labor Political Activity Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (150 - 248) |
July 30, 1998 | National | H Amdt 747 | Voter Registration Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260) |
Aug. 6, 1998 | National | H Amdt 862 | Federal Campaign Finance Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222) |
March 15, 2021 | TN | HB 0501 | Reduces the Number of Campaign Finance Filing Dates to Quarterly in Election Years and Semi-Annually in Non-Election Years | Bill Passed - House (53 - 32) |
March 30, 2022 | LA | HB 1 | Amends State Congressional Districts | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 31) |
Dec. 9, 2021 | MD | HB 1 | Amends State Congressional Districts | Veto Override Passed - House (96 - 42) |