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. 22, 2012 National H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
June 6, 2012 NH CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
May 24, 2012 AL HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
May 22, 2012 AL SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
May 16, 2012 NH CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
May 2, 2012 MS JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
March 28, 2012 NH HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
March 28, 2012 ID H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
March 22, 2012 FL SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
March 15, 2012 KY SB 18 Amends Redistricting Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
March 14, 2012 NY A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
March 6, 2012 VA HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
Feb. 29, 2012 CO HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
Feb. 15, 2012 NH CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
Feb. 2, 2012 National S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
Feb. 1, 2012 WA EHCR 4409 Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4)
Feb. 1, 2012 RI S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
Jan. 27, 2012 UT HB 286 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
Jan. 26, 2012 National H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Jan. 20, 2012 VA HB 251 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
Jan. 19, 2012 TN SB 1514 State Senate Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Jan. 18, 2012 KY HB 1 State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
Jan. 13, 2012 TN HB 1558 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
Jan. 13, 2012 TN HB 1555 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)
Date No. Title Outcome
9/22 H J Res 117 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (62 - 30)
6/06 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Conference Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 9)
6/06 CACR 12 Legislative Authority of Education Requirements Conference Report Adopted - Senate (17 - 6)
5/24 HB 19 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 12)
5/22 SB 25 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12)
5/16 CACR 26 Authorizes the Legislature to Amend Supreme Court Rules Resolution Passed - Senate (19 - 5)
5/02 JR 1 State House Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (38 - 14)
5/02 JR 201 State Senate Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 5)
3/28 HB 592 State House Redistricting Veto Override Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
3/28 H 695 Establishes a Legislative Legal Defense Fund Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 11)
3/22 SJR 2B State Senate Redistricting Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (31 - 6)
3/15 SB 18 Amends Redistricting Requirements Amendment Adopted - Senate (27 - 11)
3/14 A 9525 State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 0)
3/06 HB 1228 Increases Salary for State Legislators Bill Failed - Senate (9 - 31)
2/29 HB 1301 Authorizes Legislative Appropriations Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13)
2/15 CACR 6 Requires a Supermajority for Budget Increases Resolution Passed - Senate (17 - 7)
2/02 S Amdt 1472 Prohibits Consideration of Bills Containing Earmarks Amendment Rejected - Senate (40 - 59)
2/02 S 2038 Prohibits Insider Trading by Government Officials Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 3)
2/01 EHCR 4409 Congressional and State Legislative Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 4)
2/01 S 2178 State Senate, State House, and Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 2)
1/27 HB 286 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 0)
1/26 H J Res 98 Disapproval of President's Authority to Raise the Debt Limit Motion Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
1/20 HB 251 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 19)
1/19 SB 1514 State Senate Redistricting Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
1/18 HB 1 State Senate, House, and Judicial Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 14)
1/13 HB 1558 Congressional Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9)
1/13 HB 1555 State House Redistricting Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 10)

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