Roll call vote
Definition
A roll call vote records each legislator's individual position, yea, nay, or present, as an official public record, rather than a voice vote or unanimous consent where no one's specific vote is tracked. In the U.S. House, one-fifth of a quorum can force one.
Why it matters
Roll call votes are the main evidence outside groups use to score legislators and hold them accountable, which is exactly why leadership sometimes prefers to pass controversial provisions by voice vote or unanimous consent instead, avoiding a recorded vote that could be used against members later. Because not every decision gets a roll call, tracking which votes are recorded versus quietly voiced through is itself a way to see where accountability is being avoided.
Seen in the wild
Congress.gov's public roll call vote database lets anyone look up how every member of the House and Senate voted on any recorded 2025 bill, a transparency tool that does not exist for voice votes or unanimous consent actions.