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.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
April 12, 2018 NJ A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
June 25, 2018 NJ A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
June 21, 2018 NJ A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - House (49 - 23)
Oct. 29, 2018 NJ A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - Senate
Oct. 29, 2018 NJ A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
July 2, 2018 CA AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 14)
June 21, 2018 CA AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
July 30, 2018 MA H 4834 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
June 29, 2018 NC HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
June 26, 2018 NC HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
May 2, 2018 NH HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
March 6, 2018 NH HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (171 - 144)
Feb. 28, 2018 WA HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
Feb. 12, 2018 WA HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
Jan. 23, 2018 AL HB 17 Repeals Special Elections Bill Passed - House (67 - 31)
Feb. 2, 2018 CO HB 18-1033 Expands Employee Leave Bill Passed - House (35 - 28)
April 27, 2018 CO HB 18-1403 Expands Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
Feb. 13, 2018 AZ HB 2153 Prohibits Localities from Requiring Campaign Donation Disclosure Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
May 2, 2018 KS HB 2539 Amends Gubernatorial Qualifications Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 52)
March 7, 2018 WA HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 48)
March 6, 2018 WA HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
May 17, 2018 LA HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 42)
May 16, 2018 LA HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
Jan. 3, 2018 NH HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/12 A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
4/12 A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - House (50 - 23)
6/25 A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
6/21 A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - House (49 - 23)
10/29 A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - Senate
10/29 A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - House (47 - 26)
7/02 AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Concurrence Vote Passed - House (61 - 14)
6/21 AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
7/30 H 4834 Establishes Automatic Voter Registration Conference Report Adopted - Senate (36 - 0)
6/29 HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 12)
6/26 HB 1092 Requires Photo Identification to Vote Bill Passed - House (74 - 43)
5/02 HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
3/06 HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - House (171 - 144)
2/28 HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
2/12 HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - House (52 - 46)
1/23 HB 17 Repeals Special Elections Bill Passed - House (67 - 31)
2/02 HB 18-1033 Expands Employee Leave Bill Passed - House (35 - 28)
4/27 HB 18-1403 Expands Disclosure Requirements Bill Passed - House (35 - 29)
2/13 HB 2153 Prohibits Localities from Requiring Campaign Donation Disclosure Bill Passed - House (33 - 25)
5/02 HB 2539 Amends Gubernatorial Qualifications Conference Report Adopted - House (70 - 52)
3/07 HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - House (50 - 48)
3/06 HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
5/17 HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Concurrence Vote Passed - House (55 - 42)
5/16 HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
1/03 HB 372 Amends Definition of Residency for Voting Purposes "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)

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