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
May 6, 2026 CT HB 5001 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
May 6, 2026 OK SB 1286 Requires Political Subdivisions to Provide Suitable Polling Places Bill Passed - House (88 - 0)
May 6, 2026 AL HB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for Congressional Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - House (75 - 29)
May 6, 2026 AL SB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for State Senate Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
May 6, 2026 AL SB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for State Senate Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
May 6, 2026 AL HB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for Congressional Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - House (75 - 29)
May 4, 2026 PA SB 250 Requires the Preamble of the Pennsylvania Constitution to be Displayed in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
May 3, 2026 IA HF 2694 Restricts the Powers of the Governor During Emergency Situations (31 - 14)
May 3, 2026 IA HF 2800 Establishes Various Regulations for State and Local Government and Finances Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
May 2, 2026 IA SJR 11 Amends the State Constitution to Require a Super-Majority for Certain Tax Changes Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 21)
May 2, 2026 IA HF 2800 Establishes Various Regulations for State and Local Government and Finances Bill Passed - House (58 - 26)
May 1, 2026 CT SB 397 Authorizes Residents to Sue Federal Law Enforcement in State Court Bill Passed - House (91 - 53)
April 30, 2026 CO HB 26-1084 Requires Ballot Measures that Would Reduce Tax Revenue to Disclose Resulting Budget Cuts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
April 29, 2026 National PN 730-14 Nomination of Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, vice Steven M. Dettelbach, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
April 29, 2026 National S J Res 139 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Air Plan Disapproval; Colorado; Regional Haze Plan for the Second Implementation Period" Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
April 29, 2026 National S J Res 99 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relating to "Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents" Motion Agreed - Senate (47 - 50)
April 27, 2026 National PN 730-14 Nomination of Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, vice Steven M. Dettelbach, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 37)
April 27, 2026 CA AB 2691 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Sexual Assault or Human Trafficking from Running for Public Office Bill Passed - House (67 - 0)
April 27, 2026 National HR 7959 IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (346 - 10)
April 23, 2026 TN SB 2473 Amends the Governance Structure for Certain Airports (73 - 21)
April 23, 2026 CT HB 5001 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (101 - 49)
April 22, 2026 National H Res 1182 Expressing support for rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities Bill Passed - House (220 - 196)
April 22, 2026 AK HB 262 Expands the Number of Superior Court Judges in the Third Judicial District Bill Passed - House (37 - 0)
April 21, 2026 PA SR 211 Requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to Study the Municipalities Planning Code's Performance Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 2)
April 16, 2026 CA SB 935 Authorizes Local Governments to Continue Use of Design Build Procurement Process for Qualifying Public Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)
Date No. Title Outcome
5/06 HB 5001 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
5/06 SB 1286 Requires Political Subdivisions to Provide Suitable Polling Places Bill Passed - House (88 - 0)
5/06 HB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for Congressional Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - House (75 - 29)
5/06 SB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for State Senate Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
5/06 SB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for State Senate Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - Senate (26 - 7)
5/06 HB 1 Authorizes a Special Primary Election for Congressional Districts Affected by a Federal Court Ruling Bill Passed - House (75 - 29)
5/04 SB 250 Requires the Preamble of the Pennsylvania Constitution to be Displayed in Schools Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 13)
5/03 HF 2694 Restricts the Powers of the Governor During Emergency Situations (31 - 14)
5/03 HF 2800 Establishes Various Regulations for State and Local Government and Finances Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 11)
5/02 SJR 11 Amends the State Constitution to Require a Super-Majority for Certain Tax Changes Joint Resolution Passed - House (57 - 21)
5/02 HF 2800 Establishes Various Regulations for State and Local Government and Finances Bill Passed - House (58 - 26)
5/01 SB 397 Authorizes Residents to Sue Federal Law Enforcement in State Court Bill Passed - House (91 - 53)
4/30 HB 26-1084 Requires Ballot Measures that Would Reduce Tax Revenue to Disclose Resulting Budget Cuts Conference Report Adopted - Senate (23 - 12)
4/29 PN 730-14 Nomination of Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, vice Steven M. Dettelbach, resigned Nomination Confirmed - Senate (59 - 39)
4/29 S J Res 139 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Air Plan Disapproval; Colorado; Regional Haze Plan for the Second Implementation Period" Motion Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
4/29 S J Res 99 A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relating to "Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents" Motion Agreed - Senate (47 - 50)
4/27 PN 730-14 Nomination of Robert Cekada, of Florida, to be Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, vice Steven M. Dettelbach, resigned Cloture Invoked - Senate (54 - 37)
4/27 AB 2691 Prohibits Individuals Convicted of Sexual Assault or Human Trafficking from Running for Public Office Bill Passed - House (67 - 0)
4/27 HR 7959 IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act Bill Passed - House (346 - 10)
4/23 SB 2473 Amends the Governance Structure for Certain Airports (73 - 21)
4/23 HB 5001 Establishes No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill Passed - House (101 - 49)
4/22 H Res 1182 Expressing support for rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities Bill Passed - House (220 - 196)
4/22 HB 262 Expands the Number of Superior Court Judges in the Third Judicial District Bill Passed - House (37 - 0)
4/21 SR 211 Requires the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to Study the Municipalities Planning Code's Performance Bill Passed - Senate (46 - 2)
4/16 SB 935 Authorizes Local Governments to Continue Use of Design Build Procurement Process for Qualifying Public Works Projects Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 0)

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