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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Feb. 26, 2008 | AL | HB 73 | Prohibiting Money Transfers Between Political Action Committees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
June 27, 2008 | AZ | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | CA | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
Aug. 30, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
Aug. 29, 2008 | CA | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
May 29, 2008 | CA | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 15) |
May 6, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 27) |
May 5, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
March 31, 2008 | CO | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
April 23, 2008 | CO | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
Feb. 27, 2008 | CO | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
April 23, 2008 | DE | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
March 11, 2008 | DE | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | GA | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
March 12, 2008 | IA | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
March 19, 2008 | ID | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
Jan. 9, 2008 | IL | HB 1685 | National Popular Vote Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 50) |
May 1, 2008 | IL | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
April 30, 2008 | IL | HB 5278 | Limiting County Clerk and Election Board Members' Endorsements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
April 8, 2008 | IL | HJRCA 28 | Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 33) |
May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
May 6, 2008 | KS | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | KY | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
Feb. 19, 2008 | KY | SB 148 | Regulations for Campaign Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
April 1, 2008 | KY | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
Jan. 30, 2008 | KY | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
Feb. 22, 2008 | LA | SB 3 | Restrictions on Gifts to Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (95 - 5) |
Feb. 14, 2008 | LA | HB 64 | Campaign Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
July 29, 2008 | MA | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
July 9, 2008 | MA | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
July 9, 2008 | MA | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
July 9, 2008 | MA | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
Dec. 4, 2008 | MI | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
Dec. 11, 2008 | MI | HB 6610 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
April 7, 2008 | MN | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
April 7, 2008 | MN | Voter Registration Training Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 82) | |
May 5, 2008 | MN | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
April 1, 2008 | MN | Buesgens Amnd. | Amendment Prohibiting Grants for Groups Involved in Political Activity | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 69) |
May 16, 2008 | MO | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (83 - 72) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | MO | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
May 22, 2008 | MS | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
Feb. 21, 2008 | MS | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
Feb. 26, 2008 | MS | SB 2910 | Changes to Election Law | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
April 15, 2008 | National | HR 5036 | Federal Funding for Voting System Changes | Bill Passed - House (239 - 178) |
July 15, 2008 | National | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
Feb. 6, 2008 | NE | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |
Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
2/26 | HB 73 | Prohibiting Money Transfers Between Political Action Committees | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
6/27 | HCR 2024 | Election of Superior Court Judges | Resolution Failed - House (24 - 32) |
2/19 | GN Borucki | Confirmation of Joan Borucki as State Lottery Director | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (32 - 3) |
8/30 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (42 - 32) |
8/29 | AB 583 | Public Financing of Elections | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18) |
5/29 | AB 1819 | Voter Registration Age Minimum Changes | Bill Passed - House (45 - 31) |
5/05 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (19 - 16) |
5/06 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Conference Report Adopted - House (49 - 15) |
5/06 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (37 - 27) |
5/05 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 15) |
4/23 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14) |
3/31 | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 17) |
2/27 | HB 1329 | Voter Registration Confirmation Card | Bill Passed - House (48 - 17) |
4/23 | HB 1378 | Allowing Ranked Voting Methods | Bill Passed - House (36 - 29) |
2/27 | HB 1233 | Limited Liability Company Campaign Donation Restrictions | Bill Passed - House (39 - 26) |
4/23 | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Passed - Senate (15 - 5) |
3/11 | SB 195 | Election Day Alcohol Sales | Bill Failed - Senate (10 - 11) |
2/19 | SB 379 | Automatic Calling Device Restrictions | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) |
3/12 | SF 2355 | Time Off to Attend Presidential Precinct Caucuses | Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 10) |
3/19 | S 1484 | Disclosing Fiscal Impacts of Citizens Initiatives | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 9) |
1/09 | HB 1685 | National Popular Vote Act | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (64 - 50) |
5/01 | SJRCA 70 | Constitutional Amendment to recall certain elected officials | Bill Failed - Senate (33 - 19) |
4/30 | HB 5278 | Limiting County Clerk and Election Board Members' Endorsements | Bill Passed - House (63 - 48) |
4/08 | HJRCA 28 | Recall Elections | Joint Resolution Passed - House (75 - 33) |
5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - House (67 - 56) |
5/06 | HB 2019 | Voter Identification | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (27 - 3) |
2/19 | SFA 1 | Presidential Primaries | Amendment Adopted - Senate (24 - 12) |
2/19 | SB 148 | Regulations for Campaign Financing | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 13) |
4/01 | HB 70 | Restoring Voting Rights to Former Felons | Bill Passed - House (80 - 14) |
1/30 | SB 3 | Primary Elections Date Change | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14) |
2/22 | SB 3 | Restrictions on Gifts to Elected Officials | Bill Passed - House (95 - 5) |
2/14 | HB 64 | Campaign Disclosures | Bill Passed - House (65 - 35) |
7/29 | S 2807 | Election Day Voter Registration | Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 5) |
7/09 | Jones Amdt - Presidential Electors by Congressional District | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
7/09 | Frost Amdt - National Popular Vote Plan Ratification Threshold | Bill Failed - House (34 - 120) | |
7/09 | H 678 | National Popular Vote Plan | Bill Passed - House (116 - 37) |
12/04 | HB 4090 | Expanding Early Voting | Bill Passed - House (58 - 50) |
12/11 | HB 6610 | Presidential Election by Popular Vote | Bill Passed - House (65 - 36) |
4/07 | Emmer Amnd. | Voter Identification Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (59 - 70) |
4/07 | Voter Registration Training Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (48 - 82) | |
5/05 | Severson Amendment: Income Tax Refund | Amendment Adopted - House (75 - 54) | |
4/01 | Buesgens Amnd. | Amendment Prohibiting Grants for Groups Involved in Political Activity | Amendment Rejected - House (60 - 69) |
5/16 | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - House (83 - 72) |
2/21 | SB 1038 | Repealing Campaign Contribution Limits | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
5/22 | SB 2004 | Voter Identification Requirement | Bill Passed - Senate (30 - 17) |
2/21 | SB 2468 | Voter Identification | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 18) |
2/26 | SB 2910 | Changes to Election Law | Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 20) |
4/15 | HR 5036 | Federal Funding for Voting System Changes | Bill Passed - House (239 - 178) |
7/15 | HR 5803 | Backup Paper Ballots | Bill Failed - House (248 - 170) |
2/06 | LB 39 | Restricting Petition Circulation | Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 14) |