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
Feb. 9, 2026 AZ HCR 2001 Amends the State Constitution to Prohibit Absentee Ballot Drop-Off on Election Day Bill Passed - House (32 - 27)
Feb. 5, 2026 AZ HB 2022 Amends the Date of Primary Elections to the Second-to-Last Tuesday in July Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 1)
Feb. 5, 2026 MD SB 5 Amends the State Constitution to Require Special Elections at the Same Time as Regular Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 1)
Feb. 5, 2026 MI HB 5197 Prohibits Foreign Funding for Ballot Initiative Campaigns Bill Passed - House (97 - 6)
Feb. 5, 2026 MI HB 5198 Requires Individuals to Disclose Any Foreign Donations Before Participating in Election Administration Bill Passed - House (99 - 4)
Feb. 2, 2026 AZ HB 2022 Amends the Date of Primary Elections to the Second-to-Last Tuesday in July Bill Passed - House (56 - 0)
Jan. 26, 2026 SD SB 85 Requires Electorate Approval for a School District to Exceed Property Tax Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
Jan. 20, 2026 IN SB 12 Prohibits Ranked Choice Voting Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
Jan. 16, 2026 VA HJ 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Jan. 16, 2026 VA HJ 4 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Authorize Redistricting Outside of the Decennial Cycle if Another State Also Redistricts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Jan. 14, 2026 VA HJ 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (65 - 33)
Jan. 14, 2026 VA HJ 4 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Authorize Redistricting Outside of the Decennial Cycle if Another State Also Redistricts Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
Jan. 12, 2026 NJ A 5886 Amends the Process for Filling Vacancies From New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 7)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/09 HCR 2001 Amends the State Constitution to Prohibit Absentee Ballot Drop-Off on Election Day Bill Passed - House (32 - 27)
2/05 HB 2022 Amends the Date of Primary Elections to the Second-to-Last Tuesday in July Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 1)
2/05 SB 5 Amends the State Constitution to Require Special Elections at the Same Time as Regular Elections Bill Passed - Senate (43 - 1)
2/05 HB 5197 Prohibits Foreign Funding for Ballot Initiative Campaigns Bill Passed - House (97 - 6)
2/05 HB 5198 Requires Individuals to Disclose Any Foreign Donations Before Participating in Election Administration Bill Passed - House (99 - 4)
2/02 HB 2022 Amends the Date of Primary Elections to the Second-to-Last Tuesday in July Bill Passed - House (56 - 0)
1/26 SB 85 Requires Electorate Approval for a School District to Exceed Property Tax Limits Bill Passed - Senate (20 - 14)
1/20 SB 12 Prohibits Ranked Choice Voting Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9)
1/16 HJ 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
1/16 HJ 4 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Authorize Redistricting Outside of the Decennial Cycle if Another State Also Redistricts Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
1/14 HJ 2 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment that Restores Felon Voting Rights Bill Passed - House (65 - 33)
1/14 HJ 4 Establishes a Constitutional Amendment to Authorize Redistricting Outside of the Decennial Cycle if Another State Also Redistricts Bill Passed - House (62 - 33)
1/12 A 5886 Amends the Process for Filling Vacancies From New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives Bill Passed - House (66 - 7)

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