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
Dec. 21, 2018 MI HB 6595 Increases Requirements for State Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Dec. 20, 2018 MI SB 1238 Authorizes State Absentee Ballot Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Dec. 20, 2018 MI SB 1239 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
Dec. 5, 2018 WI SB 884 Reduces Period for Early Voting and Limits Powers of the State Attorney General Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
Nov. 29, 2018 MI SB 1176 Establishes Misdemeanor Crimes for Public Officials Requiring nonprofit groups Disclose Donors Information Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
Nov. 8, 2018 MI SB 1022 Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Nov. 8, 2018 MI SB 1022 Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Oct. 29, 2018 NJ A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - Senate
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 27, 2018 NC HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
June 26, 2018 NC SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
June 25, 2018 NJ A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
June 21, 2018 CA AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
June 19, 2018 NC SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
June 19, 2018 RI S 2612 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
June 13, 2018 PA SB 22 Establishes 11-Member Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
June 5, 2018 NC SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
May 16, 2018 LA HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
May 5, 2018 CT HB 5421 Authorizes National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
May 2, 2018 NH HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
April 12, 2018 NJ A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
April 5, 2018 CA SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
March 28, 2018 MD HB 829 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
March 22, 2018 MD HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
March 16, 2018 MD SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
March 6, 2018 WA HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
March 5, 2018 MD SB 256 Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17)
Feb. 28, 2018 WA HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
Feb. 14, 2018 NM HB 98 Amends Local Elections Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
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
12/21 HB 6595 Increases Requirements for State Ballot Initiatives Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
12/20 SB 1238 Authorizes State Absentee Ballot Voting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
12/20 SB 1239 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
12/05 SB 884 Reduces Period for Early Voting and Limits Powers of the State Attorney General Bill Passed - Senate (17 - 16)
11/29 SB 1176 Establishes Misdemeanor Crimes for Public Officials Requiring nonprofit groups Disclose Donors Information Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 12)
11/08 SB 1022 Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
11/08 SB 1022 Authorizes use of Campaign Finance Funds for Repayment of Debts and Obligations of Campaigns by Former Candidates Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
10/29 A 4674 Authorizes US Congresspersons to Run for Congress and Presidency during Primary Election Bill Passed - Senate
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)
6/27 HB 913 Establishes a Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Election Enforcement Amendment Adopted - Senate (32 - 14)
6/26 SB 325 Amends One-Stop Voting Schedules Veto Override Passed - Senate (34 - 12)
6/25 A 3463 Requires Polling Places to Post Count of Voters Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 15)
6/21 AB 216 Authorizes Free Postage for Vote by Mail Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 8)
6/19 SB 486 Amends Various Election Laws Veto Override Passed - Senate (31 - 14)
6/19 S 2612 Requires Presidential Candidates to Release Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 3)
6/13 SB 22 Establishes 11-Member Redistricting Commission Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 14)
6/05 SB 757 Requires Judicial Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14)
5/16 HB 265 Authorizes Registration and Voting by Individuals Convicted of Felonies Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
5/05 HB 5421 Authorizes National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 14)
5/02 HB 1264 Amends Residency Definiton "Ought to Pass as Amended" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10)
4/12 A 2014 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration at More Locations Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 13)
4/05 SB 1171 Authorizes Same Day Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 10)
3/28 HB 829 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (35 - 11)
3/22 HB 532 Establishes Election Day Voter Registration and Same-Day Voting Bill Passed - Senate (33 - 14)
3/16 SB 1048 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 13)
3/06 HB 2595 Authorizes Automatic Voter Registration Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 21)
3/05 SB 256 Requires Presidential Candidates to Disclose Tax Returns Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 17)
2/28 HB 1513 Authorizes Automatic Voter Pre-Registration for 16 and 17 Year Old Individuals Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 22)
2/14 HB 98 Amends Local Elections Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
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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