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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 25, 2023 | IL | SB 2123 | Amends Various State Election Laws | Bill Passed - House (36 - 18) |
May 28, 2019 | IL | SB 2090 | Expands Access to Voting in Jails | Bill Passed - House (69 - 45) |
Oct. 29, 2019 | IL | SB 1970 | Authorizes Student Absences for Voting | Bill Passed - House (74 - 40) |
March 18, 2021 | IL | HB 1871 | Extends Ballot Drop Boxes and Curbside Voting | Bill Passed - House (70 - 41) |
April 17, 2013 | IL | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - House (95 - 22) |
Jan. 4, 2011 | IL | SB 3976 | Rules to Govern the Redistricting Process | Bill Passed - House (67 - 46) |
May 30, 2009 | IL | HJRCA 31 | Authorizing Governor Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - House (109 - 6) |
April 29, 2009 | IN | HB 1491 | St. Joseph Superior Court Judges | Conference Report Adopted - House (68 - 22) |
March 8, 2006 | IN | HB 1011 | Miscellaneous Election Law Matters | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (52 - 47) |
Feb. 27, 2007 | IN | HB 1808 | Vote by Mail | Bill Passed - House (51 - 47) |
Feb. 25, 2009 | IN | HB 1730 | Exempting Energy Efficient Projects From Referendum Requirements | Bill Passed - House (52 - 48) |
Oct. 1, 2021 | IN | HB 1581 | Amends Redistricting Maps | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 25) |
April 28, 2011 | IN | HB 1602 | Congressional Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (62 - 32) |
March 23, 2021 | IN | SB 260 | Authorizes 16 or 17 Year-Olds to Serve as a Precinct Election Officers on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (58 - 36) |
April 13, 2021 | IN | SB 353 | Requires Presenting Valid Identification to Request an Absentee Ballot Online | Bill Passed - House (71 - 23) |
Feb. 22, 2022 | IN | SB 134 | Limits Private Donations to Local Governments | Bill Passed - House (67 - 25) |
Jan. 31, 2022 | IN | HB 1116 | Increases Requirements for Mail-In Voting | Bill Passed - House (66 - 28) |
Feb. 22, 2023 | IN | HB 1334 | Increases Restrictions on Voter Registration | Bill Passed - House (64 - 28) |
Feb. 8, 2021 | IN | HB 1365 | Requires Entering Information of Candidates into the Statewide Voter Registration System | Bill Passed - House (83 - 13) |
March 15, 2007 | KS | Amend HB 2542 | Presidential Primary Funding | Amendment Adopted - House (85 - 34) |
May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
May 8, 2006 | KS | SB 142 | Campaign Finance | Conference Report Adopted - House (75 - 45) |
April 3, 2007 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (61 - 61) |
Feb. 24, 2011 | KS | HB 2130 | Prohibits Union Dues for Political Activities | Bill Passed - House (75 - 46) |
May 23, 2022 | KS | HB 2252 | Prohibits Modification of Election Laws by State Executive Branch | Veto Override Passed - House (84 - 37) |
Feb. 9, 2022 | KS | SB 355 | Amends State Congressional Districts | Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 37) |
May 2, 2018 | KS | HB 2539 | Amends Gubernatorial Qualifications | Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 52) |
May 21, 2015 | KS | HB 2104 | Requires Local Elections to be Moved from Spring to Fall | Conference Report Adopted - House (64 - 58) |
April 26, 2022 | KS | HB 2138 | Expands State Oversight of Elections | Conference Report Adopted - House (82 - 40) |
April 4, 2023 | KS | HB 2053 | Appropriates Resources to Provide for a Presidential Preference Primary Election in 2024 | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (86 - 32) |
March 19, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 54) |
Jan. 26, 2022 | KS | SB 355 | Amends State Congressional Districts | Bill Passed - House (79 - 37) |
Jan. 31, 2013 | KS | HB 2023 | Prohibits Manditory Labor Organizational Fees for Political Purposes | Bill Passed - House (68 - 56) |
May 10, 2012 | KS | SB 102 | State Senate Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (67 - 50) |
Feb. 23, 2023 | KS | HB 2056 | Requires All Advance Voting Ballots be Returned by 7:00 P.M. on Election Day | Bill Passed - House (77 - 45) |
March 3, 2021 | KS | HB 2183 | Limits the Governor's and the Secretary of States' Power in Elections | Bill Passed - House (84 - 39) |
March 3, 2021 | KS | HB 2332 | Establishes Requirements for Applying for Advance Voting Ballots | Bill Passed - House (86 - 38) |
Feb. 9, 2012 | KS | HB 2606 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (109 - 14) |
Feb. 23, 2012 | KS | HB 2437 | Amends Voting Registration Requirements | Bill Passed - House (81 - 43) |
Feb. 25, 2011 | KS | HB 2067 | Voter Photographic Identification Requirements | Bill Passed - House (83 - 36) |
Feb. 28, 2007 | KY | HCS HB 70 | Felon Voting Rights | Bill Passed - House (70 - 28) |
April 1, 2008 | KY | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
Jan. 8, 2022 | KY | SB 2 | Establishes Senatorial District Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (67 - 23) |
April 14, 2020 | KY | SB 2 | Amends Voter Identification Requirements | Veto Override Passed - House (60 - 29) |
Jan. 20, 2022 | KY | SB 3 | Amends Congressional District Boundaries | Veto Override Passed - House (64 - 24) |
April 15, 2020 | KY | HB 351 | Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products and Authorizes the Expansion of Absentee Voting | Veto Override Passed - House (57 - 32) |
April 14, 2020 | KY | HB 336 | Amends the Time Frame That Gubernatorial Candidates Can Announce Running Mates | Veto Override Passed - House (55 - 34) |
Aug. 23, 2013 | KY | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (79 - 18) |
April 1, 2020 | KY | HB 351 | Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products and Authorizes the Expansion of Absentee Voting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 22) |
March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Bill Passed - House (50 - 46) |
Jan. 19, 2012 | KY | HB 1 | State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (58 - 39) |
March 11, 2013 | KY | SB 1 | Establishes an Electronic Ballot Transmission System for Military and Overseas Voters | Bill Passed - House (57 - 42) |
March 14, 2016 | KY | HB 290 | Authorizes In-Person Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - House (57 - 37) |
Feb. 26, 2021 | KY | HB 574 | Authorizes Early In-Person Voting and Mail-In Voting Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (93 - 4) |
March 6, 2013 | KY | HB 2 | State House Redistricting | Bill Passed - House (53 - 46) |
Jan. 6, 2022 | KY | HB 2 | Amends State House District Boundaries | Bill Passed - House (71 - 19) |
Jan. 5, 2022 | KY | HB 172 | Amends Election Filing Deadlines | Bill Passed - House (84 - 12) |
March 4, 2024 | KY | HB 622 | Repeals the Governor's Authority to Fill a Vacant U.S. Senate Seat and Instead Require a Special Election | Bill Passed - House (88 - 4) |
Jan. 30, 2024 | KY | HB 341 | Prohibits Non-Citizens from Voting in an Election | Bill Passed - House (81 - 15) |
Feb. 10, 2010 | KY | HB 70 | Voting Rights For Certain Felons | Bill Passed - House (83 - 16) |
Feb. 16, 2012 | KY | HB 70 | Authorizes People Convicted of Certain Felonies to Vote | Bill Passed - House (78 - 18) |
June 16, 2006 | LA | SB 382 | Gift Ban on Cultural and Sporting Events for Elected Officials | Motion Agreed - House (49 - 43) |
Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | HB 12 | Elections; Voting; State of Emergency | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (66 - 32) |
Feb. 22, 2008 | LA | SB 3 | Restrictions on Gifts to Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (95 - 5) |
June 3, 2009 | LA | HB 243 | Disclosure of Campaign Contributions | Bill Failed - House (38 - 60) |
April 10, 2006 | LA | HB 850 | Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - House (63 - 31) |
Feb. 15, 2006 | LA | SB 22 | State of Emergency Voting Reform | Bill Passed - House (72 - 29) |
May 4, 2006 | LA | HB 669 | Special Tax Election Requirements | Bill Failed - House (51 - 51) |
Feb. 14, 2008 | LA | HB 64 | Campaign Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
May 19, 2009 | LA | HB 504 | Jefferson Parish School Board Elections | Bill Passed - House (63 - 26) |
July 18, 2023 | LA | HB 646 | Requires Supplemental Voter Canvasses in Each Primary and General Election | Veto Override Failed - House (69 - 30) |
March 30, 2022 | LA | HB 1 | Amends State Congressional Districts | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 31) |
May 17, 2018 | LA | HB 265 | Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 42) |
June 10, 2021 | LA | SB 221 | Establishes a Voting System Commission to Examine Voting Standards and Regulations | Conference Report Adopted - House (69 - 34) |
Jan. 19, 2024 | LA | HB 17 | Authorizes Certain Offices to Conduct Closed Party Primary Elections and Amends Election Codes | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (67 - 36) |