Advocacy Glossary
Floor vote
A floor vote is the vote of a legislature's full chamber on a bill, taken after committees finish their work. It is the most visible step in the process and usually the least changeable.
By the time a bill reaches the floor, its content is largely settled and the outcome is often known. The dramatic floor fight is the exception, not the rule.
That is why experienced advocates spend their effort in committee, where a handful of members hold the pen, rather than waiting for the floor, where hundreds vote on a finished product.
The fastest way to put these terms to work: generate a one-page policy brief free at PolicyPage