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"All voting in Congress is a matter of public record. However, not all floor votes are roll call votes. There are voice votes (“aye” or “no”) and division or st

"All voting in Congress is a matter of public record. However, not all floor votes are roll call votes. There are voice votes (“aye” or “no”) and division or standing votes (where the presiding officer counts Members), and these types of votes do not indicate by name how a member voted." (https://www.senate.gov/legislative/HowTo/how_to_votes.htm https://www.senate.gov/legislative/HowTo/how_to_votes.htm) I am having a difficult time finding data on the number of roll-call votes vs. others; general descriptions go between "very often" and "the majority". "Very often, when a vote is called for passage of a particular bill, a voice vote is the usual procedure. Equally often, a bill is often declared "passed" even when the voices of a measure's supporters are not obviously louder. Also, a voice vote does not allow a member's constituents to know how he or she voted on a particular bill. If a clear-cut winner of a voice vote is not recognized, then a request for a recorded vote is made." (https://www.legion.org/legislative/thomas/17797/part-11-roll-call-votes-voice-votes-and-unanimous-consent https://www.legion.org/legislative/thomas/17797/part-11-roll...)

saghm 5y ago
> Equally often, a bill is often declared "passed" even when the voices of a measure's supporters are not obviously louder. What actually determines whether stuck a vote passes then? Is there "real" voting behind the scenes that gives the real count, or is it just game of chicken where anyone can object to the determination if they're willing to be on the record as the naysayer?
- mcguire 5y ago
  From what I remember, any of them can call for a "stand up and be counted" vote rather than the "by acclaim" vote, and some proportion of them can demand a roll-call vote, which is on the record (more than 1 but much less than 50%).

saghm 5y ago

> Equally often, a bill is often declared "passed" even when the voices of a measure's supporters are not obviously louder. What actually determines whether stuck a vote passes then? Is there "real" voting behind the scenes that gives the real count, or is it just game of chicken where anyone can object to the determination if they're willing to be on the record as the naysayer?

mcguire 5y ago
From what I remember, any of them can call for a "stand up and be counted" vote rather than the "by acclaim" vote, and some proportion of them can demand a roll-call vote, which is on the record (more than 1 but much less than 50%).