How Congress Votes

Most questions in both chambers are first decided by voice vote, with members calling out aye or no and the presiding officer judging which side is louder. Any member can ask for a division, in which members stand to be counted, and a sufficient number can demand a recorded vote, which puts each member's position on the public record. The Constitution requires a recorded vote when one-fifth of members present request it and on overriding a veto.

The House began using electronic voting on January 23, 1973. Members insert a card into one of dozens of voting stations on the floor and press yes, no, or present, and the tally appears on boards above the chamber. Votes are usually held open for 15 minutes, with later votes in a series cut to 5, though leaders sometimes hold them open far longer to change minds, as in a nearly three-hour vote on Medicare in November 2003. The Senate has never adopted electronic voting: a clerk calls the roll alphabetically, and senators answer or signal to the clerk, often over 15 minutes or more.

Members must vote in person, except during a pandemic rule that allowed House proxy voting from May 2020 to January 2023, which the Supreme Court did not disturb and Republicans ended when they took the majority. Recorded votes have grown far more common since the 1970s, giving voters and interest groups detailed records. Critics say many votes are designed for campaign messaging, and some members propose remote voting for new parents or emergencies, while others say votes should stay in person to encourage members to work together.