diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-crypto/src/authn/v1.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-crypto/src/authn/v1.rs
index 6f38e44..6f86936 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-crypto/src/authn/v1.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-crypto/src/authn/v1.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use rand::RngExt;
 
 pub static CLIENT_CONTEXT: &[u8] = b"arbiter_client";
 pub static OPERATOR_CONTEXT: &[u8] = b"arbiter_operator";
+pub static GOVERNANCE_CONTEXT: &[u8] = b"arbiter_governance_vote";
 
 const NONCE_SIZE: usize = 32;
 
@@ -90,6 +91,11 @@ impl PublicKey {
         self.0
             .verify_with_context(&challenge, context, &signature.0)
     }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn verify_message(&self, message: &[u8], context: &[u8], signature: &Signature) -> bool {
+        self.0.verify_with_context(message, context, &signature.0)
+    }
 }
 
 impl Signature {
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/vault_coordinator/mod.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/vault_coordinator/mod.rs
index 68a8f95..107ab3e 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/vault_coordinator/mod.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/actors/vault_coordinator/mod.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use tracing::error;
 
 use crate::{
     actors::vault::{Bootstrap, TryUnseal, Vault},
-    crypto::{KeyCell, derive_key, encryption::v1::Nonce, shamir},
+    crypto::{KeyCell, derive_key, encryption::v1::Nonce, shamir, shamir::shamir_threshold},
     db::{self, models, schema},
 };
 
@@ -76,15 +76,6 @@ impl VaultCoordinator {
 
 const SHARE_AAD: &[u8] = b"arbiter/shamir-share/v1";
 
-const fn shamir_threshold(n: usize) -> usize {
-    match n {
-        0 => panic!("No operators"),
-        1 => 1,
-        2 => 2,
-        n => n / 2 + 1,
-    }
-}
-
 async fn finalize_bootstrap(
     db: db::DatabasePool,
     vault: ActorRef<Vault>,
diff --git a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/crypto/shamir.rs b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/crypto/shamir.rs
index c379685..61c59e1 100644
--- a/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/crypto/shamir.rs
+++ b/server/crates/arbiter-server/src/crypto/shamir.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,18 @@ pub fn split_key(
         .map_err(|e| ShamirError::Split(format!("{e:?}")))
 }
 
+/// Returns the minimum number of shares required to reconstruct the secret
+/// for a committee of `n` operators.
+#[must_use]
+pub const fn shamir_threshold(n: usize) -> usize {
+    match n {
+        0 => panic!("No operators"),
+        1 => 1,
+        2 => 2,
+        n => n / 2 + 1,
+    }
+}
+
 /// Reconstruct the secret from `threshold` or more shares.
 pub fn combine_shares(shares: &[Vec<u8>]) -> Result<[u8; 32], ShamirError> {
     let bytes = Gf256::combine_array(shares)