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
Sept. 14, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 41)
May 31, 2016 CA AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
May 25, 2016 OH SB 296 Requires Bond for Extended Polling Hours Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
May 4, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (112 - 38)
April 27, 2016 LA HB 598 Amends Voter Registration Policies for Convicted Felons Bill Failed - House (37 - 60)
March 29, 2016 AZ SB 1516 Repeals Certain Campaign Finance Reforms Bill Passed - House (31 - 27)
March 21, 2016 MD HB 1007 Establishes Electronic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (93 - 43)
March 14, 2016 KY HB 290 Authorizes In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
Feb. 24, 2016 MS HB 868 Amends State Supreme Court District Boundaries Bill Passed - House (71 - 50)
Feb. 19, 2016 NC SB 2 Amends Congressional Districts Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
Feb. 19, 2016 WV HB 4013 Requires Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
Feb. 18, 2016 NC HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
Feb. 15, 2016 WA HB 2682 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
Feb. 10, 2016 AZ HB 2567 Repeals State Presidential Primary Election Process Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
Feb. 4, 2016 WA HB 1745 Amends Certain Election Procedures Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
Jan. 21, 2016 MO HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)
Jan. 21, 2016 MO HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (114 - 39)
Jan. 20, 2016 MD HB 980 Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 56)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/14 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Veto Override Passed - House (115 - 41)
5/31 AB 2466 Expands Voting Rights for Certain Convicted Felons Bill Passed - House (41 - 37)
5/25 SB 296 Requires Bond for Extended Polling Hours Bill Passed - House (64 - 32)
5/04 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Concurrence Vote Passed - House (112 - 38)
4/27 HB 598 Amends Voter Registration Policies for Convicted Felons Bill Failed - House (37 - 60)
3/29 SB 1516 Repeals Certain Campaign Finance Reforms Bill Passed - House (31 - 27)
3/21 HB 1007 Establishes Electronic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (93 - 43)
3/14 HB 290 Authorizes In-Person Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (57 - 37)
2/24 HB 868 Amends State Supreme Court District Boundaries Bill Passed - House (71 - 50)
2/19 SB 2 Amends Congressional Districts Bill Passed - House (65 - 43)
2/19 HB 4013 Requires Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (64 - 34)
2/18 HB 2 Amends Congressional Primary Election Date Bill Passed - House (71 - 32)
2/15 HB 2682 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - House (55 - 42)
2/10 HB 2567 Repeals State Presidential Primary Election Process Bill Passed - House (37 - 22)
2/04 HB 1745 Amends Certain Election Procedures Bill Passed - House (50 - 47)
1/21 HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)
1/21 HB 1631 Requires Individuals to Present Certain Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (114 - 39)
1/20 HB 980 Authorizes Felons to Vote While on Parole Veto Override Passed - House (85 - 56)

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