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 30, 2020 NJ ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
July 30, 2020 NJ ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
Jan. 31, 2020 KY HB 168 Requires Legislative Ethics Commission to Review Sexual Harassment Complaints Bill Passed - House (85 - 0)
Jan. 16, 2020 DE HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
Nov. 19, 2020 PA HR 1100 Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
Feb. 5, 2020 National H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
May 15, 2020 National H Res 965 Authorizing remote voting by proxy in the House of Representatives and providing for official remote committee proceedings during a public health emergency due to a novel coronavirus, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (217 - 189)
March 12, 2020 ME LD 2077 Establishes a Legislative Review for Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Bill Passed - House (91 - 47)
July 27, 2020 National S 2163 Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act Bill Passed - House (368 - 1)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
July 15, 2020 PA SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
July 14, 2020 PA SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Bill Passed - House (115 - 86)
Feb. 26, 2020 MI SB 686 Prohibits Disciplinary Action Against State Employees for Communicating with Legislative Branch Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
June 12, 2020 MN SC 1 Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29)
Jan. 22, 2020 National S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
Jan. 31, 2020 National S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)
Date No. Title Outcome
7/30 ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 15)
7/30 ACR 188 Establishes Referendum to Delay Redistricting Bill Passed - House (51 - 26)
1/31 HB 168 Requires Legislative Ethics Commission to Review Sexual Harassment Complaints Bill Passed - House (85 - 0)
1/16 HB 73 Amends the Delaware Constitution to Authorize the General Assembly to Pass Laws On Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (14 - 5)
11/19 HR 1100 Requires Legislative Committee Audit Ballots Cast in 2020 General Election Resolution Passed - House (112 - 90)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (47 - 53)
2/05 H Res 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors Bill Failed - Senate (48 - 52)
5/15 H Res 965 Authorizing remote voting by proxy in the House of Representatives and providing for official remote committee proceedings during a public health emergency due to a novel coronavirus, and for other purposes Bill Passed - House (217 - 189)
3/12 LD 2077 Establishes a Legislative Review for Performance Evaluation and Professional Growth Bill Passed - House (91 - 47)
7/27 S 2163 Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Act Bill Passed - House (368 - 1)
1/31 S Amdt 1298 Requires the US Chief Justice to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents and issues of privilege Amendment Tabled - Senate (53 - 47)
7/15 SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (33 - 17)
7/14 SB 1166 Limits the Governor's Emergency Powers Bill Passed - House (115 - 86)
2/26 SB 686 Prohibits Disciplinary Action Against State Employees for Communicating with Legislative Branch Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 0)
6/12 SC 1 Repeals the Governor's Peacetime Emergency Declaration Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 29)
1/22 S Res 483 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (53 - 47)
1/31 S Res 488 A resolution to provide for related procedures concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States Bill Passed - Senate (51 - 49)

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