diff --git a/core/src/consensus.rs b/core/src/consensus.rs
index 0a381e90b694f8..4a360fc0b0b8d2 100644
--- a/core/src/consensus.rs
+++ b/core/src/consensus.rs
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ use {
         vote_error::VoteError,
         vote_instruction,
         vote_state::{
-            process_slot_vote_unchecked, BlockTimestamp, Lockout, TowerSync, Vote,
-            VoteState1_14_11, VoteStateUpdate, MAX_LOCKOUT_HISTORY,
+            BlockTimestamp, Lockout, TowerSync, Vote, VoteState1_14_11, VoteStateUpdate,
+            MAX_LOCKOUT_HISTORY,
         },
     },
     std::{
@@ -406,10 +406,10 @@ impl Tower {
                 continue;
             }
             trace!("{} {} with stake {}", vote_account_pubkey, key, voted_stake);
-            let mut vote_state = account.vote_state().clone();
+            let mut vote_state = TowerVoteState::from(account.vote_state().clone());
             for vote in &vote_state.votes {
                 lockout_intervals
-                    .entry(vote.lockout.last_locked_out_slot())
+                    .entry(vote.last_locked_out_slot())
                     .or_default()
                     .push((vote.slot(), key));
             }
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ impl Tower {
                 );
             }
 
-            process_slot_vote_unchecked(&mut vote_state, bank_slot);
+            vote_state.process_next_vote_slot(bank_slot);
 
             for vote in &vote_state.votes {
                 vote_slots.insert(vote.slot());
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ pub mod test {
         },
         solana_vote::vote_account::VoteAccount,
         solana_vote_program::vote_state::{
-            Vote, VoteState, VoteStateVersions, MAX_LOCKOUT_HISTORY,
+            process_slot_vote_unchecked, Vote, VoteState, VoteStateVersions, MAX_LOCKOUT_HISTORY,
         },
         std::{
             collections::{HashMap, VecDeque},
diff --git a/core/src/replay_stage.rs b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
index 7a6eda12d39c34..15d5621d235e9e 100644
--- a/core/src/replay_stage.rs
+++ b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
@@ -3624,7 +3624,7 @@ impl ReplayStage {
         let Some(vote_account) = bank.get_vote_account(my_vote_pubkey) else {
             return;
         };
-        let mut bank_vote_state = vote_account.vote_state().clone();
+        let mut bank_vote_state = TowerVoteState::from(vote_account.vote_state().clone());
         if bank_vote_state.last_voted_slot() <= tower.vote_state.last_voted_slot() {
             return;
         }
@@ -3673,8 +3673,8 @@ impl ReplayStage {
             }
         }
 
-        tower.vote_state.root_slot = bank_vote_state.root_slot;
-        tower.vote_state.votes = bank_vote_state.votes.into_iter().map(Into::into).collect();
+        // adopt the bank vote state
+        tower.vote_state = bank_vote_state;
 
         let last_voted_slot = tower.vote_state.last_voted_slot().unwrap_or(
             // If our local root is higher than the highest slot in `bank_vote_state` due to
diff --git a/core/src/vote_simulator.rs b/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
index 375e669b5a4e0c..27f42c59243e65 100644
--- a/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
+++ b/core/src/vote_simulator.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use {
             heaviest_subtree_fork_choice::HeaviestSubtreeForkChoice,
             latest_validator_votes_for_frozen_banks::LatestValidatorVotesForFrozenBanks,
             progress_map::{ForkProgress, ProgressMap},
+            tower_vote_state::TowerVoteState,
             Tower,
         },
         repair::cluster_slot_state_verifier::{
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ use {
     },
     solana_sdk::{clock::Slot, hash::Hash, pubkey::Pubkey, signature::Signer},
     solana_vote::vote_transaction,
-    solana_vote_program::vote_state::{process_vote_unchecked, Lockout, TowerSync},
+    solana_vote_program::vote_state::{Lockout, TowerSync},
     std::{
         collections::{HashMap, HashSet, VecDeque},
         sync::{Arc, RwLock},
@@ -102,17 +103,11 @@ impl VoteSimulator {
                     let tower_sync = if let Some(vote_account) =
                         parent_bank.get_vote_account(&keypairs.vote_keypair.pubkey())
                     {
-                        let mut vote_state = vote_account.vote_state().clone();
-                        process_vote_unchecked(
-                            &mut vote_state,
-                            solana_vote_program::vote_state::Vote::new(
-                                vec![parent],
-                                parent_bank.hash(),
-                            ),
-                        )
-                        .unwrap();
+                        let mut vote_state =
+                            TowerVoteState::from(vote_account.vote_state().clone());
+                        vote_state.process_next_vote_slot(parent);
                         TowerSync::new(
-                            vote_state.votes.iter().map(|vote| vote.lockout).collect(),
+                            vote_state.votes,
                             vote_state.root_slot,
                             parent_bank.hash(),
                             Hash::default(),