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
July 19, 2012 National H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
May 16, 2012 MD SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - House (77 - 60)
May 15, 2012 MD SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
May 9, 2012 National H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
March 21, 2012 NH HB 437 Repeals Same-Sex Marriage "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116)
March 15, 2012 MD SB 523 Increases State Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
March 14, 2012 NH HB 1264 Authorizes Individuals to Refuse to Provide Services for Marriages "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (246 - 85)
Feb. 28, 2012 UT HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
Feb. 23, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
Feb. 17, 2012 MD HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
Feb. 16, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
Feb. 13, 2012 NJ S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
Feb. 8, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Jan. 9, 2012 NJ A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/19 H Amdt 1416 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention of the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (247 - 166)
5/16 SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - House (77 - 60)
5/15 SB 1302 Increases Tax Rates for Certain Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 19)
5/09 H Amdt 1096 Prohibits Use of Funds in Contravention with the Defense of Marriage Act Amendment Adopted - House (245 - 171)
3/21 HB 437 Repeals Same-Sex Marriage "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (211 - 116)
3/15 SB 523 Increases State Income Tax Rates Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 20)
3/14 HB 1264 Authorizes Individuals to Refuse to Provide Services for Marriages "Inexpedient to Legislate" Vote Passed - House (246 - 85)
2/28 HB 316 Extends Waiting Period for Divorce Bill Passed - House (43 - 26)
2/23 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 22)
2/17 HB 438 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (72 - 67)
2/16 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (42 - 33)
2/13 S 1 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 16)
2/08 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - House (55 - 43)
2/01 SB 6239 Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 21)
1/09 A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
1/09 A 4366 Amending Annulment Requirements and Eliminating Marriage Wait Period Bill Passed - House (46 - 23)

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