diff --git a/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/bridge_pool_roots.rs b/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/bridge_pool_roots.rs
index 8571881453..4e6b2b9727 100644
--- a/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/bridge_pool_roots.rs
+++ b/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/bridge_pool_roots.rs
@@ -196,17 +196,13 @@ mod test_apply_bp_roots_to_storage {
     use namada_core::ledger::storage_api::StorageRead;
     use namada_core::proto::{SignableEthMessage, Signed};
     use namada_core::types::address;
-    use namada_core::types::dec::Dec;
     use namada_core::types::ethereum_events::Uint;
     use namada_core::types::keccak::{keccak_hash, KeccakHash};
-    use namada_core::types::key::RefTo;
     use namada_core::types::storage::Key;
     use namada_core::types::token::Amount;
     use namada_core::types::vote_extensions::bridge_pool_roots;
     use namada_proof_of_stake::parameters::PosParams;
-    use namada_proof_of_stake::{
-        become_validator, bond_tokens, write_pos_params, BecomeValidator,
-    };
+    use namada_proof_of_stake::write_pos_params;
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::protocol::transactions::votes::{
@@ -720,32 +716,16 @@ mod test_apply_bp_roots_to_storage {
             pipeline_len: 1,
             ..Default::default()
         };
-        write_pos_params(&mut wl_storage, params.clone()).expect("Test failed");
+        write_pos_params(&mut wl_storage, params).expect("Test failed");
 
         // insert validators 2 and 3 at epoch 1
-        for (validator, stake) in [
-            (&validator_2, validator_2_stake),
-            (&validator_3, validator_3_stake),
-        ] {
-            let keys = test_utils::TestValidatorKeys::generate();
-            let consensus_key = &keys.consensus.ref_to();
-            let eth_cold_key = &keys.eth_gov.ref_to();
-            let eth_hot_key = &keys.eth_bridge.ref_to();
-            become_validator(BecomeValidator {
-                storage: &mut wl_storage,
-                params: &params,
-                address: validator,
-                consensus_key,
-                eth_cold_key,
-                eth_hot_key,
-                current_epoch: 0.into(),
-                commission_rate: Dec::new(5, 2).unwrap(),
-                max_commission_rate_change: Dec::new(1, 2).unwrap(),
-            })
-            .expect("Test failed");
-            bond_tokens(&mut wl_storage, None, validator, stake, 0.into())
-                .expect("Test failed");
-        }
+        test_utils::append_validators_to_storage(
+            &mut wl_storage,
+            HashMap::from([
+                (validator_2.clone(), validator_2_stake),
+                (validator_3.clone(), validator_3_stake),
+            ]),
+        );
 
         // query validators to make sure they were inserted correctly
         macro_rules! query_validators {
@@ -770,6 +750,12 @@ mod test_apply_bp_roots_to_storage {
             epoch_0_validators,
             HashMap::from([(validator_1.clone(), validator_1_stake)])
         );
+        assert_eq!(
+            wl_storage
+                .pos_queries()
+                .get_total_voting_power(Some(0.into())),
+            validator_1_stake,
+        );
         assert_eq!(
             epoch_1_validators,
             HashMap::from([
@@ -778,6 +764,12 @@ mod test_apply_bp_roots_to_storage {
                 (validator_3, validator_3_stake),
             ])
         );
+        assert_eq!(
+            wl_storage
+                .pos_queries()
+                .get_total_voting_power(Some(1.into())),
+            validator_1_stake + validator_2_stake + validator_3_stake,
+        );
 
         // set up the bridge pool's storage
         bridge_pool_vp::init_storage(&mut wl_storage);
diff --git a/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/votes.rs b/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/votes.rs
index 5cf8fa4e3d..eabc0cf1f1 100644
--- a/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/votes.rs
+++ b/ethereum_bridge/src/protocol/transactions/votes.rs
@@ -203,14 +203,10 @@ mod tests {
     use std::collections::BTreeSet;
 
     use namada_core::ledger::storage::testing::TestWlStorage;
-    use namada_core::types::dec::Dec;
-    use namada_core::types::key::RefTo;
     use namada_core::types::storage::BlockHeight;
     use namada_core::types::{address, token};
     use namada_proof_of_stake::parameters::PosParams;
-    use namada_proof_of_stake::{
-        become_validator, bond_tokens, write_pos_params, BecomeValidator,
-    };
+    use namada_proof_of_stake::write_pos_params;
 
     use super::*;
     use crate::test_utils;
@@ -339,32 +335,16 @@ mod tests {
             pipeline_len: 1,
             ..Default::default()
         };
-        write_pos_params(&mut wl_storage, params.clone()).expect("Test failed");
+        write_pos_params(&mut wl_storage, params).expect("Test failed");
 
         // insert validators 2 and 3 at epoch 1
-        for (validator, stake) in [
-            (&validator_2, validator_2_stake),
-            (&validator_3, validator_3_stake),
-        ] {
-            let keys = test_utils::TestValidatorKeys::generate();
-            let consensus_key = &keys.consensus.ref_to();
-            let eth_cold_key = &keys.eth_gov.ref_to();
-            let eth_hot_key = &keys.eth_bridge.ref_to();
-            become_validator(BecomeValidator {
-                storage: &mut wl_storage,
-                params: &params,
-                address: validator,
-                consensus_key,
-                eth_cold_key,
-                eth_hot_key,
-                current_epoch: 0.into(),
-                commission_rate: Dec::new(5, 2).unwrap(),
-                max_commission_rate_change: Dec::new(1, 2).unwrap(),
-            })
-            .expect("Test failed");
-            bond_tokens(&mut wl_storage, None, validator, stake, 0.into())
-                .expect("Test failed");
-        }
+        test_utils::append_validators_to_storage(
+            &mut wl_storage,
+            HashMap::from([
+                (validator_2.clone(), validator_2_stake),
+                (validator_3.clone(), validator_3_stake),
+            ]),
+        );
 
         // query validators to make sure they were inserted correctly
         let query_validators = |epoch: u64| {
@@ -381,6 +361,12 @@ mod tests {
             epoch_0_validators,
             HashMap::from([(validator_1.clone(), validator_1_stake)])
         );
+        assert_eq!(
+            wl_storage
+                .pos_queries()
+                .get_total_voting_power(Some(0.into())),
+            validator_1_stake,
+        );
         assert_eq!(
             epoch_1_validators,
             HashMap::from([
@@ -389,6 +375,12 @@ mod tests {
                 (validator_3, validator_3_stake),
             ])
         );
+        assert_eq!(
+            wl_storage
+                .pos_queries()
+                .get_total_voting_power(Some(1.into())),
+            validator_1_stake + validator_2_stake + validator_3_stake,
+        );
 
         // check that voting works as expected
         let aggregated = EpochedVotingPower::from([