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Legislation > Senate Roll Call Vote History Quick Guide
Senate > Chamber Net > Senate Roll Call Vote History Quick Guide

Beginning in Session 119 (2011-2012) Senate Roll Call Votes are available from the following locations:

• Homepage
• Bio Pages for each Senator
• Legislation Page
• Research Page
• Bill Title Page for individual Bills - Homepage Quick Search menu to select Bill Number
• Bill History Action for individual Bills - Homepage Quick Search menu to select Bill Number

The roll call votes that Senators cast are a matter of public record and are recorded in the official Senate Journal.  Senate Journals are published to the legislative website after adjournment of each daily session.  Archived Senate Journals are also available from 1990 to present. 

Beginning in Session 119 (2011-2012) Senate Roll Call Votes are more accessible due to new features on the legislative website. Votes recorded in the Senate will be published to the website after adjournment of each daily Senate session. The following areas on the website provide access to retrieve votes cast by an individual Senator, to a complete list of all votes recorded in the Senate, and to recorded votes on individual Bills.  The vote history results offer the ability to sort the data and link to a printer-friendly version of the roll call vote.

• Homepage
• Bio Pages for each Senator
• Legislation Page
• Research Page
• Bill Title Page for individual Bills - Homepage Quick Search menu to select Bill Number
• Bill History Action for individual Bills - Homepage Quick Search menu to select Bill Number

 

Senate Vote History Results Legend

Vote#

Bill#

(Summary)/Motion

Date/Time

Candidate

Vote

Ayes

Nays

N/V

Exc. Abs.

Abstain

Total Votes

Result

Vote # = sequential roll call number unique to each roll and links to printer-friendly version of roll call Bill # = number preceded by S referencing a Senate Bill and by H referencing a House Bill and links to the title and full text of the bill (Summary)/Motion = summary is a short synopsis of the legislation                                              motion is a description of why the vote was taken Date/Time =  date and time vote was recorded Candidate = name of candidate(s) in election votes Vote = column appears only on results returned for individual Senator from bio page and indicates Senator’s vote on each roll call Ayes = total number of Senators voting “yes” Nays = total number of Senators voting “no” N/V = total number of Senators “not voting” Exc. Abs. = total number of Senators having an “excused absence” Abstain = total number of Senators voting  to “abstain” Total Votes = total number of votes recorded Result = outcome of the roll call such as passed or failed

Homepage
• The Legislative Voting Record application on the homepage allows the option to select results to be returned by chamber, bill number, or legislator.
• The Roll Call Votes link can be accessed from the homepage below the Senate main heading in the center of the page.
• Vote history results will return a list of all votes recorded in the Senate for the current Session.
• The results may be sorted by the following column headings as referenced above in the Senate Vote History Results Legend:  Vote#, Bill#, (Summary)/Motion, Date/Time, Candidate, and Result.
• Click the column heading of your interest to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
• A printer-friendly version of each roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.

Senator Bio Pages
• From the top horizontal tan menu bar, click the Senate link; from the Senate page, click the Members link on the top horizontal blue menu bar.
• From the Members of the Senate list, click the Senator’s name link of which you wish to review vote history.
• From the Senator’s bio page, under the Voting Record heading, select the Session from the drop-down menu [beginning in Session 119 (2011-2012)].
• Roll Call vote history results will return for the selected Senator.  All votes recorded by the selected Senator are returned.
• The results may be sorted by the following column headings as referenced above in the Senate Vote History Results Legend:  Vote#, Bill#, (Summary)/Motion, Date/Time, Candidate, and Result.
• Click the column heading of your interest to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
• A printer-friendly version of each roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.

Legislation Page
• Access the Legislation page from the left vertical menu bar.
• On the second column of the page below the Senate Roll Votes heading, click the Senate Vote History link.
• Vote history results will return a list of all votes recorded in the Senate for the current Session.
• The results may be sorted by the following column headings as referenced above in the Senate Vote History Results Legend:  Vote#, Bill#, (Summary)/Motion, Date/Time, Candidate, and Result.
• Click the column heading of your interest to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
• A printer-friendly version of each roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.

Research Page
• Access the Research page from the left vertical menu bar.
• Below the Roll Call Votes heading, click the Senate Vote History link.
• Vote history results will return a list of all votes recorded in the Senate for the current Session.
• The results may be sorted by the following column headings as referenced above in the Senate Vote History Results Legend:  Vote#, Bill#, (Summary)/Motion, Date/Time, Candidate, and Result.
• Click the column heading of your interest to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
• A printer-friendly version of each roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.

Bill Title Page for Individual Bills
• From the homepage acess the Quick Search menu below the Quick Search heading; click the Bill Number checkbox button; then, type the Bill Number in the Search field; then, click the Search icon. 
• From the Bill Title and Status page, click the View Vote History link below the bill title to the right of the View Full Text link.
• Roll Call vote history results will return a list of all votes recorded on the Bill Number entered.
• The results may be sorted by the following column headings as referenced above in the Senate Vote History Results Legend:  Date/Time, Motion, Vote#, Candidate, and Result.
• Click the column heading of your interest to sort the data in ascending or descending order.
• A printer-friendly version of each roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.

Note:  Bill Titles for the current Session may also be accessed from the Legislation page.

• Access the Legislation page from the left vertical menu bar.
• On the Legislation page in the first column of items, click the Bill, Act or Rat Number link.
• From the Legislation Search By Bill Number page, select the session and type the Bill Number of interest in the Enter Numbers field; click the Submit button.  Only the number is required, not a preceding  S or H referencing the Chamber.


Bill History Action for Individual Bills
• From the homepage acess the Quick Search menu below the Quick Search heading; click the Bill Number checkbox button; then, type the Bill Number in the Search field; then, click the Search icon. 
• From the Bill Title and Status page, within the list of Bill History Actions a Roll Call Vote History Action will follow some actions and will display the total number of Ayes and Nays and a link to the Vote#.
• A printer-friendly version of the roll call vote is accessible by clicking the Vote# link for each.



Questions or Assistance Regarding the Senate Roll Call Vote History Features

On behalf of the South Carolina General Assembly, Legislative Printing, Information and Technology Systems (LPITS) maintains the legislative website and can assist with accessing Senate Roll Call Votes via the features described above.

For assistance, please send us a message or contact us at (803)212-4420.