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
March 17, 2008 SD HB 1233 Government Spending Database Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
Feb. 27, 2008 SD HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
Feb. 26, 2008 SD HB 1233 Government Spending Database Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 21, 2008 SD HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4)
Feb. 21, 2008 SD HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
Feb. 13, 2008 SD SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
Feb. 13, 2008 SD SJR 1 Eliminating Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
Feb. 11, 2008 SD SB 189 Accessibility of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
Feb. 6, 2008 SD SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Feb. 6, 2008 SD SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
Jan. 31, 2008 SD SB 173 Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
Jan. 29, 2008 SD SB 88 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
Jan. 24, 2008 SD SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19)
Jan. 22, 2008 SD SB 26 State Regulation of Preschools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
Date No. Title Outcome
3/17 HB 1233 Government Spending Database Veto Override Failed - Senate (22 - 12)
2/27 HB 1085 Constructing Science Facilities at Universities Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
2/26 HB 1233 Government Spending Database Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/21 HB 1250 Legislative Pay Raise Bill Tabled - Senate (29 - 4)
2/21 HB 1151 Adult-Oriented Business Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 10)
2/13 SB 174 Railroad Eminent Domain Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 13)
2/13 SJR 1 Eliminating Term Limits Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
2/11 SB 189 Accessibility of Public Records Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 15)
2/06 SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
2/06 SB 164 Right to Obtain Contraception Bill Failed - Senate (12 - 22)
1/31 SB 173 Eliminating Restrictions on Corporate Dairy Farms Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 8)
1/29 SB 88 Offering Sonograms to Women Considering Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 12)
1/24 SB 126 Repealing Liquor License Cap Bill Failed - Senate (16 - 19)
1/22 SB 26 State Regulation of Preschools Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)

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