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:
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.
Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 11, 2018 | National | PN 2117 | Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court | (51 - 50) |
Nov. 29, 2018 | National | PN 2117 | Nomination of Jonathan A. Kobes to the Eighth Circuit Court | Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
Oct. 6, 2018 | National | PN 2259 | Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States | (50 - 48) |
Oct. 5, 2018 | National | PN 2259 | Nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States | Cloture Invoked - Senate (51 - 49) |
July 18, 2018 | National | PN 1645 | Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit | (50 - 49) |
July 17, 2018 | National | PN 1645 | Nomination of Andrew S. Oldham to be United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit | Cloture Invoked - Senate (50 - 49) |
June 28, 2018 | NC | HB 717 | Amends Judicial Divisions | Veto Override Passed - Senate (30 - 16) |
June 7, 2018 | NJ | S 121 | Prohibits Non-Disclosure Agreements Regarding Workplace Harassment | Bill Passed - Senate (34 - 1) |
June 5, 2018 | NC | SB 757 | Requires Judicial Redistricting | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (28 - 14) |
May 14, 2018 | MN | HF 390 | Establishes Penalties for Obstructing a Highway | Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 27) |
May 1, 2018 | MI | HB 5010 | Extends Statute of Limitations for Armed Robbery | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 4) |
April 18, 2018 | PA | SB 961 | Increases OWI Penalties | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 4) |
March 19, 2018 | KY | HB 198 | Limits Fees for Attorneys Contracting with State Agencies | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 12) |
March 16, 2018 | ID | H 665 | Increases Penalties for Threats Against Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 1) |
March 15, 2018 | NH | SB 593 | Repeals Death Penalty | "Ought to Pass" Report Adopted - Senate (14 - 10) |
March 12, 2018 | MD | SB 122 | Amends Criminal Law | Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 8) |
March 9, 2018 | WY | HB 168 | Authorizes "Stand Your Ground" Policy | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 4) |
Feb. 22, 2018 | WA | SB 6052 | Repeals Death Penalty | Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 22) |