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
Dec. 11, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
Nov. 29, 2018 National PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
Oct. 6, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
Oct. 5, 2018 National PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
July 18, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
July 17, 2018 National PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
June 28, 2018 NC HB 717 Amends Judicial Divisions Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
June 7, 2018 NJ S 121 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
June 5, 2018 NC SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
May 14, 2018 MN HF 390 Establishes Penalties for Obstructing a Highway Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 27)
May 1, 2018 MI HB 5010 Extends Statute of Limitations for Armed Robbery Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
April 18, 2018 PA SB 961 Increases OWI Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
March 19, 2018 KY HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 16, 2018 ID H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
March 15, 2018 NH SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 12, 2018 MD SB 122 Amends Criminal Law Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
March 9, 2018 WY HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
Feb. 22, 2018 WA SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/11 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court (51 - 50)
11/29 PN 2117 Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
10/06 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States (50 - 48)
10/05 PN 2259 Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49)
7/18 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit (50 - 49)
7/17 PN 1645 Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49)
6/28 HB 717 Amends Judicial Divisions Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16)
6/07 S 121 Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1)
6/05 SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
5/14 HF 390 Establishes Penalties for Obstructing a Highway Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 27)
5/01 HB 5010 Extends Statute of Limitations for Armed Robbery Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4)
4/18 SB 961 Increases OWI Penalties Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4)
3/19 HB 198 Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/16 H 665 Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1)
3/15 SB 593 Repeals Death Penalty "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/12 SB 122 Amends Criminal Law Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8)
3/09 HB 168 Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4)
2/22 SB 6052 Repeals Death Penalty Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22)

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