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. 12, 2013 | MI | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
Nov. 14, 2013 | MI | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
Aug. 23, 2013 | KY | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
July 25, 2013 | NC | HB 589 | Amends Voter Registration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
July 8, 2013 | CA | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
July 7, 2013 | OR | HB 3521 | Requires Voter Registration Agencies to Provide Records for Automatic Registration | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
June 23, 2013 | TX | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
June 14, 2013 | TX | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
June 13, 2013 | AZ | HB 2305 | Amends Voting Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
June 4, 2013 | CT | HB 6580 | Authorizes Unlimited Spending in State Legislative Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
May 28, 2013 | OR | SB 154 | Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
May 23, 2013 | NV | AB 440 | Extends Voter Registration Period | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
May 23, 2013 | NV | AB 441 | Authorizes Voting Centers for All Eligible Voters in a City or County | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
May 20, 2013 | AL | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
May 15, 2013 | IL | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9) |
May 8, 2013 | CT | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
May 2, 2013 | CO | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
April 30, 2013 | ME | SP 548 | Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
April 19, 2013 | MT | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
April 19, 2013 | MT | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
April 18, 2013 | AZ | HB 2282 | Requires a Primary During Recall Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18) |
April 9, 2013 | AZ | HB 2593 | Amends Campaign Finance Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
April 9, 2013 | AR | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
April 8, 2013 | MD | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
April 8, 2013 | MT | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
March 28, 2013 | MT | HB 217 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
March 27, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
March 26, 2013 | KY | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
March 20, 2013 | OH | SB 47 | Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
March 19, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
March 19, 2013 | TX | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
March 18, 2013 | NJ | S 2364 | Requires Early Voting to be Available for Certain Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
March 14, 2013 | KS | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
March 11, 2013 | ID | S 1108 | Increases Petition Signature Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
March 11, 2013 | MD | SB 279 | Amends Early Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
March 7, 2013 | NM | SB 276 | Authorizes Straight-Party Voting as a Ballot Option | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
Feb. 28, 2013 | KS | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
Feb. 20, 2013 | AR | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Feb. 5, 2013 | VA | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
Jan. 28, 2013 | VA | SB 690 | Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
12/12 | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 14) |
11/14 | SB 661 | Amends Campaign Finance Regulations | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 18) |
8/23 | HB 1 | State Legislative Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2) |
7/25 | HB 589 | Amends Voter Registration Laws | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14) |
7/08 | AB 817 | Amends Poll Worker Eligibility Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 10) |
7/07 | HB 3521 | Requires Voter Registration Agencies to Provide Records for Automatic Registration | Bill Failed - Senate (14 - 16) |
6/23 | SB 3 | State House Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11) |
6/14 | SB 4 | Congressional Redistricting | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11) |
6/13 | HB 2305 | Amends Voting Procedures | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (16 - 13) |
6/04 | HB 6580 | Authorizes Unlimited Spending in State Legislative Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
5/28 | SB 154 | Requires Signature Gathering Firms to Meet Certain Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 14) |
5/23 | AB 440 | Extends Voter Registration Period | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
5/23 | AB 441 | Authorizes Voting Centers for All Eligible Voters in a City or County | Bill Passed - Senate (11 - 10) |
5/20 | SB 445 | Repeals Limits on Campaign Financing | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 4) |
5/15 | HB 226 | Authorizes 17 Year Olds to Vote in Primary Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 9) |
5/08 | HJR 36 | Authorizes Early and Absentee Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14) |
5/02 | HB 1303 | Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
4/30 | SP 548 | Encourages Congress to Adopt a Constitutional Amendment Regarding Campaign Finance | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (25 - 9) |
4/19 | SB 408 | Limits General Election Candidates to Top 2 From Primary Election | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
4/19 | SB 405 | Repeals Same-Day Voter Registration | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (29 - 20) |
4/18 | HB 2282 | Requires a Primary During Recall Elections | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 18) |
4/09 | HB 2593 | Amends Campaign Finance Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13) |
4/09 | HB 1855 | Classifies the Office of Prosecuting Attorney as Nonpartisan | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13) |
4/08 | HB 224 | Amends Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11) |
4/08 | HB 30 | Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21) |
3/28 | HB 217 | Exempts Religious Organizations from Campaign Finance Reporting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22) |
3/27 | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
3/26 | SB 13 | Authorizes the Sale of Alcohol on Election Days | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 11) |
3/20 | SB 47 | Prohibits Collection of Petition Signatures after Filing | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 10) |
3/19 | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 12) |
3/19 | SJR 13 | Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4) |
3/18 | S 2364 | Requires Early Voting to be Available for Certain Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
3/14 | HB 2022 | Prohibits Automatic Deductions by Public Labor Organizations for Political Fundraising | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16) |
3/11 | S 1108 | Increases Petition Signature Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10) |
3/11 | SB 279 | Amends Early Voting Procedures | Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 12) |
3/07 | SB 276 | Authorizes Straight-Party Voting as a Ballot Option | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 17) |
2/28 | SB 63 | Authorizes Secretary of State to Prosecute Election Fraud Cases | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 9) |
2/20 | SB 2 | Requires Photo Identification to Vote | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12) |
2/05 | SB 719 | Amends Voting Requirements | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
2/05 | SB 1256 | Requires Photo Identification for Voting | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 20) |
1/28 | SB 690 | Reduces the Number of Signatures Required to Run for President | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17) |