Key Votes

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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:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

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.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Nov. 19, 2013 National S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
May 8, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
May 1, 2013 IA HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
April 8, 2013 MT HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
April 4, 2013 MD SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
April 3, 2013 CT SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
March 27, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
March 26, 2013 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
March 23, 2013 MT HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
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 7, 2013 KY HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Feb. 28, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Feb. 28, 2013 MD SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
Feb. 20, 2013 AR SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
Feb. 14, 2013 VT S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
Feb. 7, 2013 ND SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
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. 31, 2013 AR SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Date No. Title Outcome
11/19 S Amdt 2175 Authorizes the Use of Funds for the Transfer or Release of Guantanamo Detainees to the United States Amendment Rejected - Senate (52 - 46)
5/08 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
5/01 HF 527 Requires DNA Samples from Individuals Convicted Of Aggravated Misdemeanors Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 20)
4/08 HB 30 Prohibits Same-Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 21)
4/04 SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
4/03 SB 1160 Establishes Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 10)
3/27 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
3/26 HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Veto Override Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
3/23 HB 304 Authorizes Concealed Carry of Firearms Without a Concealed-Carry Permit Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 19)
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)
3/07 HB 279 Prohibits the Government from Impeding Religious Activities Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
2/28 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
2/28 SB 281 Amends Firearms Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 19)
2/20 SB 2 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
2/14 S 77 Prohibits Liability for Self-Administered Lethal Dosages Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 8)
2/07 SCR 4009 Expands "Right to Life" to Human Beings at Any Stage of Development Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (26 - 21)
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)
1/31 SB 134 Prohibits an Abortion if a Fetal Heartbeat is Detected Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)

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