diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/mod.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/mod.rs
index ec8f113..8f1cf58 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/mod.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::{
     actors::{
         bootstrap::Bootstrapper, evm::EvmActor, flow_coordinator::FlowCoordinator,
-        operator_registry::OperatorRegistry, vault::Vault,
+        operator_registry::OperatorRegistry, proposal_manager::ProposalManager, vault::Vault,
         vault_coordinator::VaultCoordinator,
     },
     db,
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ pub mod bootstrap;
 pub mod evm;
 pub mod flow_coordinator;
 pub mod operator_registry;
+pub mod proposal_manager;
 pub mod vault;
 pub mod vault_coordinator;
 
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ pub struct GlobalActors {
     pub flow_coordinator: ActorRef<FlowCoordinator>,
     pub operator_registry: ActorRef<OperatorRegistry>,
     pub evm: ActorRef<EvmActor>,
+    pub proposal_manager: ActorRef<ProposalManager>,
     pub events: ActorRef<MessageBus>,
 }
 
@@ -52,6 +54,10 @@ impl GlobalActors {
             bootstrapper: Bootstrapper::spawn(Bootstrapper::new(&db).await?),
             evm: EvmActor::spawn(EvmActor::new(key_holder.clone(), db.clone())),
             vault_coordinator: VaultCoordinator::spawn(VaultCoordinator::new(
+                db.clone(),
+                key_holder.clone(),
+            )),
+            proposal_manager: ProposalManager::spawn(ProposalManager::new(
                 db,
                 key_holder.clone(),
             )),
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/proposal_manager.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/proposal_manager.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3abdb31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/proposal_manager.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,399 @@
+use crate::{
+    actors::vault::Vault,
+    db::{
+        self,
+        models::{NewProposal, NewProposalVote, Proposal, ProposalStatus, SqliteTimestamp},
+        schema,
+    },
+};
+use chrono::Utc;
+use diesel::{ExpressionMethods as _, QueryDsl};
+use diesel_async::RunQueryDsl;
+use kameo::{actor::ActorRef, messages};
+use tracing::{error, warn};
+
+pub const DEFAULT_TTL_SECS: i64 = 7 * 24 * 60 * 60; // 7 days
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub enum ProposalKind {
+    ApproveSdkClient { client_id: i32 },
+}
+
+impl ProposalKind {
+    pub const fn kind_str(&self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            Self::ApproveSdkClient { .. } => "approve_sdk_client",
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn encode_payload(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        match self {
+            Self::ApproveSdkClient { client_id } => client_id.to_be_bytes().to_vec(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn decode(kind: &str, payload: &[u8]) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        match kind {
+            "approve_sdk_client" => {
+                let bytes = <[u8; 4]>::try_from(payload)
+                    .map_err(|_| "invalid payload for approve_sdk_client".to_owned())?;
+                Ok(Self::ApproveSdkClient {
+                    client_id: i32::from_be_bytes(bytes),
+                })
+            }
+            other => Err(format!("unknown proposal kind: {other}")),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum VoteOutcome {
+    Pending,
+    QuorumApproved,
+    QuorumRejected,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum Error {
+    #[error("Proposal not found")]
+    ProposalNotFound,
+    #[error("Proposal is not pending")]
+    ProposalNotPending,
+    #[error("Operator already voted on this proposal")]
+    AlreadyVoted,
+    #[error("Invalid vote signature")]
+    InvalidSignature,
+    #[error("Operator not found")]
+    OperatorNotFound,
+    #[error("Database connection error: {0}")]
+    DatabaseConnection(#[from] db::PoolError),
+    #[error("Database query error: {0}")]
+    DatabaseQuery(#[from] diesel::result::Error),
+    #[error("Execution failed: {0}")]
+    ExecutionFailed(String),
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct ProposalSummary {
+    pub id: i32,
+    pub kind: String,
+    pub initiator_id: i32,
+    pub expires_at: SqliteTimestamp,
+    pub approve_count: i64,
+    pub reject_count: i64,
+}
+
+pub struct ProposalManager {
+    pub(crate) db: db::DatabasePool,
+    pub(crate) vault: ActorRef<Vault>,
+}
+
+impl ProposalManager {
+    pub const fn new(db: db::DatabasePool, vault: ActorRef<Vault>) -> Self {
+        Self { db, vault }
+    }
+}
+
+impl kameo::Actor for ProposalManager {
+    type Args = Self;
+    type Error = ();
+
+    async fn on_start(
+        args: Self::Args,
+        actor_ref: ActorRef<Self>,
+    ) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        let weak = actor_ref.downgrade();
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            loop {
+                tokio::time::sleep(tokio::time::Duration::from_hours(1)).await;
+                match weak.upgrade() {
+                    Some(r) => {
+                        let _ = r.ask(ExpireStale).await;
+                    }
+                    None => break,
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        Ok(args)
+    }
+}
+
+#[messages]
+impl ProposalManager {
+    #[message]
+    pub async fn create_proposal(
+        &mut self,
+        kind: ProposalKind,
+        initiator_id: i32,
+        ttl_secs: Option<i64>,
+    ) -> Result<i32, Error> {
+        let ttl = ttl_secs.unwrap_or(DEFAULT_TTL_SECS);
+        let expires_at = SqliteTimestamp::from(Utc::now() + chrono::Duration::seconds(ttl));
+
+        let new_proposal = NewProposal {
+            kind: kind.kind_str().to_owned(),
+            payload: kind.encode_payload(),
+            initiator_id,
+            expires_at,
+        };
+
+        let mut conn = self.db.get().await?;
+        let id: i32 = diesel::insert_into(schema::proposal::table)
+            .values(&new_proposal)
+            .returning(schema::proposal::id)
+            .get_result(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+
+        Ok(id)
+    }
+
+    #[message]
+    pub async fn query_pending(&mut self, operator_id: i32) -> Vec<ProposalSummary> {
+        #[expect(
+            clippy::cast_possible_truncation,
+            clippy::as_conversions,
+            reason = "fixme! #84; this will break in 2038"
+        )]
+        let now_ts = Utc::now().timestamp() as i32;
+
+        let Ok(mut conn) = self.db.get().await else {
+            warn!("query_pending: failed to acquire DB connection");
+            return vec![];
+        };
+
+        let voted_ids: Vec<i32> = schema::proposal_vote::table
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::operator_id.eq(operator_id))
+            .select(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id)
+            .load(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+
+        let proposals: Vec<Proposal> = schema::proposal::table
+            .filter(schema::proposal::status.eq(ProposalStatus::Pending))
+            .filter(schema::proposal::expires_at.gt(now_ts))
+            .filter(diesel::dsl::not(schema::proposal::id.eq_any(&voted_ids)))
+            .load(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+
+        let mut summaries = Vec::with_capacity(proposals.len());
+        for p in proposals {
+            let approve_count: i64 = schema::proposal_vote::table
+                .filter(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id.eq(p.id))
+                .filter(schema::proposal_vote::approve.eq(true))
+                .count()
+                .get_result(&mut conn)
+                .await
+                .unwrap_or(0);
+            let reject_count: i64 = schema::proposal_vote::table
+                .filter(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id.eq(p.id))
+                .filter(schema::proposal_vote::approve.eq(false))
+                .count()
+                .get_result(&mut conn)
+                .await
+                .unwrap_or(0);
+            summaries.push(ProposalSummary {
+                id: p.id,
+                kind: p.kind,
+                initiator_id: p.initiator_id,
+                expires_at: p.expires_at,
+                approve_count,
+                reject_count,
+            });
+        }
+        summaries
+    }
+
+    #[message]
+    pub async fn expire_stale(&mut self) -> usize {
+        #[expect(
+            clippy::cast_possible_truncation,
+            clippy::as_conversions,
+            reason = "fixme! #84; this will break in 2038"
+        )]
+        let now_ts = Utc::now().timestamp() as i32;
+
+        let Ok(mut conn) = self.db.get().await else {
+            warn!("expire_stale: failed to acquire DB connection");
+            return 0;
+        };
+
+        diesel::update(schema::proposal::table)
+            .filter(schema::proposal::status.eq(ProposalStatus::Pending))
+            .filter(schema::proposal::expires_at.lt(now_ts))
+            .set(schema::proposal::status.eq(ProposalStatus::Expired))
+            .execute(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or(0)
+    }
+
+    #[message]
+    pub async fn cast_vote(
+        &mut self,
+        proposal_id: i32,
+        operator_id: i32,
+        approve: bool,
+        signature: Vec<u8>,
+    ) -> Result<VoteOutcome, Error> {
+        use arbiter_crypto::authn::{self, GOVERNANCE_CONTEXT};
+
+        let mut conn = self.db.get().await?;
+
+        // Load proposal — must exist
+        let proposal: Proposal = schema::proposal::table
+            .find(proposal_id)
+            .first(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| match e {
+                diesel::result::Error::NotFound => Error::ProposalNotFound,
+                other => Error::DatabaseQuery(other),
+            })?;
+
+        // Check for duplicate vote before status check so AlreadyVoted takes priority
+        let existing: i64 = schema::proposal_vote::table
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id.eq(proposal_id))
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::operator_id.eq(operator_id))
+            .count()
+            .get_result(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+        if existing > 0 {
+            return Err(Error::AlreadyVoted);
+        }
+
+        if proposal.status != ProposalStatus::Pending {
+            return Err(Error::ProposalNotPending);
+        }
+
+        // Load operator public key from operator_identity
+        let pubkey_bytes: Vec<u8> = schema::operator_identity::table
+            .find(operator_id)
+            .select(schema::operator_identity::public_key)
+            .first(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| match e {
+                diesel::result::Error::NotFound => Error::OperatorNotFound,
+                other => Error::DatabaseQuery(other),
+            })?;
+
+        let pubkey = authn::PublicKey::try_from(pubkey_bytes.as_slice())
+            .map_err(|()| Error::InvalidSignature)?;
+
+        // Canonical vote message: proposal_id (i64 big-endian) || approve (u8)
+        let mut vote_msg = Vec::with_capacity(9);
+        vote_msg.extend_from_slice(&i64::from(proposal_id).to_be_bytes());
+        vote_msg.push(u8::from(approve));
+
+        let auth_sig = authn::Signature::try_from(signature.as_slice())
+            .map_err(|()| Error::InvalidSignature)?;
+
+        if !pubkey.verify_message(&vote_msg, GOVERNANCE_CONTEXT, &auth_sig) {
+            return Err(Error::InvalidSignature);
+        }
+
+        // Insert vote
+        diesel::insert_into(schema::proposal_vote::table)
+            .values(&NewProposalVote {
+                proposal_id,
+                operator_id,
+                approve,
+                signature,
+            })
+            .execute(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+
+        // Quorum check
+        let total_operators: i64 = schema::operator_identity::table
+            .count()
+            .get_result(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+        #[expect(
+            clippy::cast_possible_truncation,
+            clippy::cast_sign_loss,
+            clippy::as_conversions,
+            reason = "operator count is always a small positive integer"
+        )]
+        let threshold = crate::crypto::shamir::shamir_threshold(total_operators as usize);
+
+        let approve_count: i64 = schema::proposal_vote::table
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id.eq(proposal_id))
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::approve.eq(true))
+            .count()
+            .get_result(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+
+        let reject_count: i64 = schema::proposal_vote::table
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::proposal_id.eq(proposal_id))
+            .filter(schema::proposal_vote::approve.eq(false))
+            .count()
+            .get_result(&mut conn)
+            .await?;
+
+        #[expect(
+            clippy::cast_possible_wrap,
+            clippy::as_conversions,
+            reason = "threshold is derived from operator count, always fits i64"
+        )]
+        let threshold_i64 = threshold as i64;
+
+        if approve_count >= threshold_i64 {
+            diesel::update(schema::proposal::table.find(proposal_id))
+                .set(schema::proposal::status.eq(ProposalStatus::Approved))
+                .execute(&mut conn)
+                .await?;
+            drop(conn); // release connection before async execution
+            self.execute_proposal(&proposal).await?;
+            return Ok(VoteOutcome::QuorumApproved);
+        }
+
+        if reject_count > total_operators - threshold_i64 {
+            diesel::update(schema::proposal::table.find(proposal_id))
+                .set(schema::proposal::status.eq(ProposalStatus::Rejected))
+                .execute(&mut conn)
+                .await?;
+            return Ok(VoteOutcome::QuorumRejected);
+        }
+
+        Ok(VoteOutcome::Pending)
+    }
+}
+
+impl ProposalManager {
+    async fn execute_proposal(&self, proposal: &Proposal) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        let kind = ProposalKind::decode(&proposal.kind, &proposal.payload)
+            .map_err(Error::ExecutionFailed)?;
+        match kind {
+            ProposalKind::ApproveSdkClient { client_id } => {
+                self.execute_approve_sdk_client(client_id).await
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn execute_approve_sdk_client(&self, client_id: i32) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        use arbiter_crypto::authn;
+        use crate::{
+            crypto::integrity,
+            peers::client::ClientCredentials,
+        };
+
+        let mut conn = self.db.get().await.map_err(Error::DatabaseConnection)?;
+
+        let pubkey_bytes: Vec<u8> = schema::program_client::table
+            .find(client_id)
+            .select(schema::program_client::public_key)
+            .first(&mut conn)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| Error::ExecutionFailed(format!("client not found: {e}")))?;
+
+        let pubkey = authn::PublicKey::try_from(pubkey_bytes.as_slice())
+            .map_err(|()| Error::ExecutionFailed("invalid client public key".to_owned()))?;
+
+        let creds = ClientCredentials { pubkey };
+
+        integrity::sign_entity(&mut conn, &self.vault, &creds, client_id)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| {
+                error!(?e, "Failed to sign integrity envelope for client");
+                Error::ExecutionFailed(e.to_string())
+            })
+    }
+}