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
Oct. 22, 2020 LA HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Oct. 22, 2020 LA HB 59 Authorizes Additional Compensation to Certain Election Officials for Elections Held During a Gubernatorially Declared Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
Oct. 19, 2020 LA SB 22 Authorizes Additional Time for Processing Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day 2020 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
Oct. 13, 2020 LA SB 74 Amends Election Penalties Relating to Registration, Fraud, and Forgery Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
Oct. 1, 2020 MI HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
Sept. 30, 2020 MI SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
Sept. 24, 2020 MI SB 117 Authorizes Active-Duty Overseas Military Voters to Vote Electronically Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
Sept. 15, 2020 MI SB 757 Authorizes Cities With Over 25,000 Residents to Begin Processing Absentee Ballots the Day Before an Election Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
Aug. 28, 2020 CA AB 646 Authorizes Individuals on Parole for a Felony Conviction to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
Aug. 28, 2020 VA SB 5120 Appropriates Funds to Provide Prepaid Postage on Absentee Ballots for the General Election Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ A 4475 Requires Ballot Drop Boxes in Every County of New Jersey Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ A 4320 Expands Ballot Receipt and Election Deadlines Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Aug. 27, 2020 NJ A 4276 Authorizes Voters to Cure Their Ballot to Fix Problems that County Election Officials Identify Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
Aug. 24, 2020 ID S 1001 Authorizes Early Processing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
Aug. 24, 2020 ID S 1002 Authorizes In-Person Voting Centers Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
Aug. 20, 2020 UT SB 6007 Requires Counties to Provide In-Person Voting Option (26 - 0)
Aug. 2, 2020 NV AB 4 Authorizes Mostly Mail-In Election for 2020 Presidential Election Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
July 28, 2020 CT HB 6002 Authorizes Statewide Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
July 22, 2020 NY S 8783 Authorizes Voters to Request Absentee Ballots Immediately Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 19)
July 22, 2020 NY S 8806 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 20)
July 22, 2020 NY S 6886 Requires Electors to Vote for the Presidential Candidate Who Won the Most Votes in Their State Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
July 22, 2020 NY S 8015 Authorizes Absentee Voting Due to Risk of Contracting a Disease Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
July 22, 2020 NY S 8799 Authorizes Ballots to be Postmarked on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 20)
July 6, 2020 HI HB 2738 Prohibits Foreign Nationals and Foreign Corporations from Funding Elections Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
July 2, 2020 MA H 4820 Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0)
June 29, 2020 NH SB 7 Establishes the "Secure Modern Accurate Registration Technology (SMART) Act" Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 9)
June 16, 2020 NH HB 1672 Authorizes Voting by Mail in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
June 14, 2020 IA HF 2643 Establishes a General Fund Budget and Limits Actions of County Auditors Regarding Absentee Ballot Requests Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
June 13, 2020 IA HF 2486 Requires the Secretary of State to Receive Legislative Consent Prior to Sending Absentee Ballot Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
June 11, 2020 CA AB 860 Authorizes Vote By Mail Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
June 11, 2020 NC HB 1169 Establishes Expedited Vote-By-Mail System in the 2020 General Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
June 10, 2020 PA HB 2502 Requires Department of State to Publish Presidential Primary Report Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
June 2, 2020 VT S 348 Authorizes Mail-In Absentee Voting for the 2020 General Election Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
May 27, 2020 OH HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
May 22, 2020 IL SB 1863 Expands Absentee Voting for the Upcoming General Election Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
May 7, 2020 MN HF 3429 Appropriates Funds and Establishes Procedures for Safe State Primaries and General Elections Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 1)
April 22, 2020 VA HB 1255 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create an Independent Redistricting Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
April 22, 2020 VA HB 207 Establishes Permanent Absentee Voter List Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
April 16, 2020 UT HB 3006 Amends the Election Code to Provide for 2020 Primary Election Exclusively by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
April 15, 2020 KY HB 351 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products and Authorizes the Expansion of Absentee Voting Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
April 14, 2020 KY HB 336 Amends the Time Frame That Gubernatorial Candidates Can Announce Running Mates Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
March 30, 2020 SD HB 1298 Amends the Date of the State Primary Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 5)
March 25, 2020 OH HB 197 Establishes Relief Provisions in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
March 12, 2020 GA SB 463 Amends Election Laws Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
March 11, 2020 NY S 5073 Establishes a School Voter Registration Access Program Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 18)
March 11, 2020 MD SB 390 Prohibits a Defeated Primary Candidate from Running as a Write-In Candidate for the General Election Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6)
March 10, 2020 SD SB 180 Repeals and Amends Certain Regulations Surrounding the Petition Circulation Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
March 9, 2020 FL SB 1794 Increases Signature Threshold for Initiative Petitions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
March 7, 2020 VA HB 235 Establishes and Authorizes a Process for Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
March 7, 2020 VA HB 201 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
March 7, 2020 VA HB 19 Repeals Photo Identification Requirement for Voting Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 19)
March 7, 2020 WA SB 6313 Authorizes 16 and 17 Year Olds to Opt Out of the Automatic Voter Pre-Registration Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
March 3, 2020 IA SF 2348 Requires Restitution Payment from Felons for Restoration of Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
Feb. 28, 2020 VA HB 1210 Requires Voting and Election Materials in Languages Other Than English Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
Feb. 27, 2020 KY SB 62 Authorizes the Restoration of Voting Rights 5 Years After Completion of Sentence for Certain Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
Feb. 24, 2020 VA HB 1 Authorizes Absentee Voting Without Needing Excuse Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
Feb. 13, 2020 AZ SB 1434 Establishes Regulations for Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
Feb. 4, 2020 VA SB 65 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
Jan. 23, 2020 KY SB 2 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
Jan. 21, 2020 VA SB 601 Establishes Election Day to Replace Lee-Jackson Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
Jan. 16, 2020 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
Jan. 13, 2020 NJ S 589 Amends Online Voter Registration Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
10/22 HB 51 Prohibits Using Private Funds for Campaign Election Expenses Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
10/22 HB 59 Authorizes Additional Compensation to Certain Election Officials for Elections Held During a Gubernatorially Declared Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
10/19 SB 22 Authorizes Additional Time for Processing Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day 2020 Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
10/13 SB 74 Amends Election Penalties Relating to Registration, Fraud, and Forgery Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 6)
10/01 HB 5881 Amends Sentencing Guidelines for Absentee Voting Law Violations Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 7)
9/30 SB 977 Increases the Punishment for Fraudulent Absentee Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (32 - 6)
9/24 SB 117 Authorizes Active-Duty Overseas Military Voters to Vote Electronically Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
9/15 SB 757 Authorizes Cities With Over 25,000 Residents to Begin Processing Absentee Ballots the Day Before an Election Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
8/28 AB 646 Authorizes Individuals on Parole for a Felony Conviction to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 10)
8/28 SB 5120 Appropriates Funds to Provide Prepaid Postage on Absentee Ballots for the General Election Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/27 A 4475 Requires Ballot Drop Boxes in Every County of New Jersey Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
8/27 A 4320 Expands Ballot Receipt and Election Deadlines Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
8/27 A 4276 Authorizes Voters to Cure Their Ballot to Fix Problems that County Election Officials Identify Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
8/24 S 1001 Authorizes Early Processing of Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 0)
8/24 S 1002 Authorizes In-Person Voting Centers Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 4)
8/20 SB 6007 Requires Counties to Provide In-Person Voting Option (26 - 0)
8/02 AB 4 Authorizes Mostly Mail-In Election for 2020 Presidential Election Bill Passed - Senate (13 - 8)
7/28 HB 6002 Authorizes Statewide Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 1)
7/22 S 8783 Authorizes Voters to Request Absentee Ballots Immediately Bill Passed - Senate (41 - 19)
7/22 S 8806 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 20)
7/22 S 6886 Requires Electors to Vote for the Presidential Candidate Who Won the Most Votes in Their State Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
7/22 S 8015 Authorizes Absentee Voting Due to Risk of Contracting a Disease Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 18)
7/22 S 8799 Authorizes Ballots to be Postmarked on Election Day Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 20)
7/06 HB 2738 Prohibits Foreign Nationals and Foreign Corporations from Funding Elections Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 0)
7/02 H 4820 Expands Voting Options in Response to COVID-19 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (39 - 0)
6/29 SB 7 Establishes the "Secure Modern Accurate Registration Technology (SMART) Act" Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (15 - 9)
6/16 HB 1672 Authorizes Voting by Mail in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 10)
6/14 HF 2643 Establishes a General Fund Budget and Limits Actions of County Auditors Regarding Absentee Ballot Requests Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17)
6/13 HF 2486 Requires the Secretary of State to Receive Legislative Consent Prior to Sending Absentee Ballot Requests Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (31 - 16)
6/11 AB 860 Authorizes Vote By Mail Absentee Ballots Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 7)
6/11 HB 1169 Establishes Expedited Vote-By-Mail System in the 2020 General Election Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 12)
6/10 HB 2502 Requires Department of State to Publish Presidential Primary Report Bill Passed - Senate (50 - 0)
6/02 S 348 Authorizes Mail-In Absentee Voting for the 2020 General Election Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 7)
5/27 HB 272 Prohibits State Officials From Changing the Time and Place of an Election Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 8)
5/22 SB 1863 Expands Absentee Voting for the Upcoming General Election Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (37 - 19)
5/07 HF 3429 Appropriates Funds and Establishes Procedures for Safe State Primaries and General Elections Bill Passed - Senate (66 - 1)
4/22 HB 1255 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Create an Independent Redistricting Commission Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
4/22 HB 207 Establishes Permanent Absentee Voter List Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
4/16 HB 3006 Amends the Election Code to Provide for 2020 Primary Election Exclusively by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
4/15 HB 351 Increases Taxes on Tobacco Products and Authorizes the Expansion of Absentee Voting Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
4/14 HB 336 Amends the Time Frame That Gubernatorial Candidates Can Announce Running Mates Veto Override Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
3/30 HB 1298 Amends the Date of the State Primary Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 5)
3/25 HB 197 Establishes Relief Provisions in Response to the COVID-19 Emergency Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 0)
3/12 SB 463 Amends Election Laws Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 19)
3/11 S 5073 Establishes a School Voter Registration Access Program Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 18)
3/11 SB 390 Prohibits a Defeated Primary Candidate from Running as a Write-In Candidate for the General Election Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 6)
3/10 SB 180 Repeals and Amends Certain Regulations Surrounding the Petition Circulation Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
3/09 SB 1794 Increases Signature Threshold for Initiative Petitions Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
3/07 HB 235 Establishes and Authorizes a Process for Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 18)
3/07 HB 201 Authorizes Same-Day Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (21 - 17)
3/07 HB 19 Repeals Photo Identification Requirement for Voting Conference Report Adopted - Senate (20 - 19)
3/07 SB 6313 Authorizes 16 and 17 Year Olds to Opt Out of the Automatic Voter Pre-Registration Process Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
3/03 SF 2348 Requires Restitution Payment from Felons for Restoration of Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 11)
2/28 HB 1210 Requires Voting and Election Materials in Languages Other Than English Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13)
2/27 SB 62 Authorizes the Restoration of Voting Rights 5 Years After Completion of Sentence for Certain Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 7)
2/24 HB 1 Authorizes Absentee Voting Without Needing Excuse Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
2/13 SB 1434 Establishes Regulations for Recall Elections Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 13)
2/04 SB 65 Repeals State Photo Identification Voter ID Laws Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
1/23 SB 2 Amends Voter Identification Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 9)
1/21 SB 601 Establishes Election Day to Replace Lee-Jackson Day Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 18)
1/16 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
1/13 S 589 Amends Online Voter Registration Rules Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 10)

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