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
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
April 21, 2016 IL SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
March 10, 2016 KY SB 8 Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
March 10, 2016 MO SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
Feb. 24, 2016 UT SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
Feb. 22, 2016 KS HCR 5010 Establishes State Commitment to a Proposed Constitutional Convention Bill Failed - House (77 - 47)
Feb. 11, 2016 AL HB 37 Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Failed - House (60 - 24)
Feb. 4, 2016 TN SJR 67 Requests that the U.S. Congress call a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (59 - 31)
Feb. 4, 2016 MO SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
Jan. 26, 2016 VA SJ 1 Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
Jan. 21, 2016 MO HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/21 SJRCA 29 Repeals Office of the Lieutenant Governor Amendment Rejected - Senate (21 - 28)
4/21 SJRCA 30 Amends Redistricting Process Bill Passed - Senate (39 - 19)
3/10 SB 8 Requires the State Supreme Court to Review Judicial Districts Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12)
3/10 SJR 39 Prohibits Penalties for Declining Participation in Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (23 - 7)
2/24 SJR 2 Urges Congress to Repeal the 17th Amendment Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 6)
2/22 HCR 5010 Establishes State Commitment to a Proposed Constitutional Convention Bill Failed - House (77 - 47)
2/11 HB 37 Prohibits Requiring Employees to Join or Pay Unions Bill Failed - House (60 - 24)
2/04 SJR 67 Requests that the U.S. Congress call a Constitutional Convention Bill Passed - House (59 - 31)
2/04 SJR 19 Amends Membership Composition of the Conservation Commission Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (22 - 10)
1/26 SJ 1 Authorizes Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
1/21 HJR 53 Requires Individuals to Show Identification in Order to Vote Joint Resolution Passed - House (116 - 40)

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