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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 9, 2008 | OH | SB 380 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
June 28, 2008 | WV | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
June 17, 2008 | RI | H 7106 | Allow Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
May 27, 2008 | RI | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
May 27, 2008 | RI | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
May 6, 2008 | OK | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
April 23, 2008 | DE | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
April 22, 2008 | VT | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
March 11, 2008 | DE | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
Feb. 28, 2008 | WY | HB 9 | Limitations on Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | AL | HB 73 | Prohibiting Money Transfers Between Political Action Committees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2910 | Changes to Election Law | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | MO | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | KY | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | KY | SB 148 | Regulations for Campaign Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | GA | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | WI | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
Feb. 18, 2008 | WA | SB 5628 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | NM | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | SD | SJR 1 | Eliminating Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
Feb. 13, 2008 | WA | SB 5278 | Public Financing of Local Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
Feb. 7, 2008 | NH | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | NE | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Jan. 3, 2008 | NJ | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/09 | SB 380 | Election Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 11) |
8/29 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
6/28 | HB 219 | Nonbroadcast Political Advertisements | Bill Passed - Senate (19 - 9) |
6/17 | H 7106 | Allow Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 4) |
5/27 | S 2081 | Allowing Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Olds to Pre-register to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
5/27 | S 2112 | National Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 10) |
5/22 | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
5/06 | SB 1150 | Voter Identification Requirement | Concurrence Vote Failed - Senate (24 - 23) |
5/05 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
5/05 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
4/23 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
4/23 | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
4/22 | S 278 | Campaign Finance Limitations | Veto Override Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
3/31 | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
3/19 | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
3/11 | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
2/28 | HB 9 | Limitations on Campaign Contributions | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
2/26 | HB 73 | Prohibiting Money Transfers Between Political Action Committees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
2/26 | SB 2910 | Changes to Election Law | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
2/21 | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
2/21 | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
2/19 | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
2/19 | SB 148 | Regulations for Campaign Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
2/19 | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
2/19 | SB 171 | Financing of Judicial Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
2/18 | SB 5628 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 18) |
2/13 | HB 237 | Mandatory Election Recounts | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 17) |
2/13 | SJR 1 | Eliminating Term Limits | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
2/13 | SB 5278 | Public Financing of Local Campaigns | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
2/07 | SB 436 | Reducing the Voting Age for Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 6) |
2/06 | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
1/30 | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
1/03 | A 4225 | National Popular Vote Act | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13) |