Key Votes

Chamber

Keyword Search

Search string must be longer than 3 characters.

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
Sept. 30, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
Sept. 27, 2013 National H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
Aug. 23, 2013 KY HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
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)
May 19, 2013 MN HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
May 8, 2013 AZ HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
April 25, 2013 MI SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
April 16, 2013 MN SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
March 19, 2013 TX SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
March 18, 2013 NJ A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
March 13, 2013 KS HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 22, 2013 KY SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Jan. 31, 2013 National HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
Jan. 30, 2013 KS SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
Jan. 29, 2013 WI SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/30 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Motion Agreed - Senate (54 - 46)
9/27 H J Res 59 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014 Bill Passed - Senate (54 - 44)
8/23 HB 1 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 2)
6/23 SB 3 State House Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
6/14 SB 4 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 11)
5/19 HF 1823 Establishes Council to Review Legislative Pay Changes Amendment Adopted - Senate (43 - 23)
5/08 HB 2608 Amends Retirement Plans for Elected Officials Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 13)
4/25 SB 288 Authorizes the Natural Resources Commission to Designate Huntable Game Species Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
4/16 SF 1589 Increases Legislator Salaries Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 32)
3/19 SJR 13 Establishes Term Limits For Certain Elected Officials Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 4)
3/18 A 3614 Requires Legislative Approval for State Lottery Changes Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 16)
3/13 HB 2019 Authorizes Governor to Appoint Judges to Kansas Court of Appeals Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
2/22 SB 39 Requires Medicaid Expansion to be Approved by the Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/22 SB 40 Requires Health Care Exchanges to Be Approved by The Legislature Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
1/31 HR 325 No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 34)
1/30 SCR 1601 Authorizes the Governor to Nominate Judges Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 12)
1/29 SB 2 Limits the Secretary of State's Role in Legislation Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 14)

arrow_upward