National Elections 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 22, 2004 National HR 2844 Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (306 - 97)
Oct. 16, 2002 National HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
Oct. 10, 2002 National HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48)
April 11, 2002 National S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
March 20, 2002 National HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40)
Feb. 27, 2002 National S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
Feb. 14, 2002 National HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
April 2, 2001 National S 27 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
March 26, 2001 National S Amdt 145 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46)
March 21, 2001 National S Amdt 134 Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
March 20, 2001 National S Amdt 115 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
June 29, 2000 National HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
June 28, 2000 National HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
Sept. 14, 1999 National HR 417 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 177)
Aug. 6, 1998 National H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
Aug. 6, 1998 National HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)
Aug. 3, 1998 National H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
July 30, 1998 National S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
July 30, 1998 National H Amdt 747 Voter Registration Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260)
July 20, 1998 National H Amdt 744 Labor Political Activity Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (150 - 248)
July 20, 1998 National H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
July 16, 1998 National H Amdt 723 Increase FEC Funding Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 210)
July 14, 1998 National H Amdt 694 Express Advocacy Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 219)
June 17, 1998 National H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
March 30, 1998 National HR 3582 Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 Bill Passed - House (405 - 6)
Date No. Title Outcome
4/22 HR 2844 Continuity in Representation Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (306 - 97)
10/16 HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - Senate (92 - 2)
10/10 HR 3295 Help America Vote Act of 2002 Conference Report Adopted - House (357 - 48)
4/11 S 565 Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (99 - 1)
3/20 HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (60 - 40)
2/27 S Amdt 2937 Allowing Signatures for Voter Registration by Mail Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (46 - 51)
2/14 HR 2356 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - House (240 - 189)
4/02 S 27 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Bill Passed - Senate (59 - 41)
3/26 S Amdt 145 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (51 - 46)
3/21 S Amdt 134 Campaign Reform Act - Union Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (69 - 31)
3/20 S Amdt 115 Campaign Reform Act of 2001 Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (70 - 30)
6/29 HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - Senate (92 - 6)
6/28 HR 4762 '527' Political Groups Bill Passed - House (385 - 39)
9/14 HR 417 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 177)
8/06 H Amdt 862 Federal Campaign Finance Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (147 - 222)
8/06 HR 2183 Campaign Finance Reform bill Bill Passed - House (252 - 179)
8/03 H Amdt 690 Shays Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (237 - 186)
7/30 S Amdt 3379 Federal Election Commission Term Length Amendment Not Tabled - Senate (45 - 54)
7/30 H Amdt 747 Voter Registration Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (165 - 260)
7/20 H Amdt 744 Labor Political Activity Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (150 - 248)
7/20 H Amdt 716 Noncitizen Campaign Contribution Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (267 - 131)
7/16 H Amdt 723 Increase FEC Funding Amendment Adopted - House (214 - 210)
7/14 H Amdt 694 Express Advocacy Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (201 - 219)
6/17 H Amdt 688 Campaign Finance Reform Commission Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (156 - 201)
3/30 HR 3582 Campaign Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1998 Bill Passed - House (405 - 6)

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