How to Read a Voting Record

A voting record should help you answer five questions: What was decided? When and where did the vote occur? How did the official vote? What was the outcome? Where can I verify it?

The parts of a record

Measure or agenda item

The bill, resolution, amendment, motion, nomination, ordinance, or agenda item being considered. PurpleRollCall should show the official title or identifier and a plain-language summary that does not replace the source text.

Vote question

The precise action before the body—for example, final passage, adoption of an amendment, approval of a nomination, or a procedural motion. A vote on procedure is not the same as a vote on final passage.

Vote position

• Yes / Yea / Aye: voted in favor of the question presented.
• No / Nay: voted against the question presented.
• Present: recorded as present without voting yes or no.
• Not voting / Absent / Excused: no yes-or-no vote was recorded. The official source may provide additional context.

Outcome

Whether the question passed, failed, was adopted, rejected, confirmed, or otherwise resolved. Thresholds can vary, so the total yes votes do not always tell the full procedural story.

Source and verification date

The link to the originating government record and the date PurpleRollCall last checked it. If a government source is later amended, the displayed record should be reviewed and updated.