diff --git a/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs b/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
index a62e5bf9b3e455..2d2d1a4762d63e 100644
--- a/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
+++ b/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ use {
     std::{
         collections::HashMap,
         ops::DerefMut,
-        sync::{Arc, RwLock},
+        sync::{
+            atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering},
+            Arc, RwLock,
+        },
     },
 };
 
@@ -144,6 +147,7 @@ pub(crate) struct VoteBatchInsertionMetrics {
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
 pub struct LatestUnprocessedVotes {
     latest_votes_per_pubkey: RwLock<HashMap<Pubkey, Arc<RwLock<LatestValidatorVotePacket>>>>,
+    num_unprocessed_votes: AtomicUsize,
 }
 
 impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
@@ -151,14 +155,8 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
         Self::default()
     }
 
-    /// Expensive because this involves iterating through and locking every unprocessed vote
     pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
-        self.latest_votes_per_pubkey
-            .read()
-            .unwrap()
-            .values()
-            .filter(|lock| !lock.read().unwrap().is_vote_taken())
-            .count()
+        self.num_unprocessed_votes.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
     }
 
     pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
@@ -220,6 +218,7 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
                 if slot > latest_slot || ((slot == latest_slot) && (timestamp > latest_timestamp)) {
                     let old_vote = std::mem::replace(latest_vote.deref_mut(), vote);
                     if old_vote.is_vote_taken() {
+                        self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
                         return None;
                     } else {
                         return Some(old_vote);
@@ -233,6 +232,7 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
         // and when a new vote account starts voting.
         let mut latest_votes_per_pubkey = self.latest_votes_per_pubkey.write().unwrap();
         latest_votes_per_pubkey.insert(pubkey, Arc::new(RwLock::new(vote)));
+        self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
         None
     }
 
@@ -319,7 +319,10 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
             .filter_map(|pubkey| {
                 self.get_entry(pubkey).and_then(|lock| {
                     let mut latest_vote = lock.write().unwrap();
-                    latest_vote.take_vote()
+                    latest_vote.take_vote().map(|vote| {
+                        self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                        vote
+                    })
                 })
             })
             .collect_vec()
@@ -335,8 +338,8 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
             .filter(|lock| lock.read().unwrap().is_forwarded())
             .for_each(|lock| {
                 let mut vote = lock.write().unwrap();
-                if vote.is_forwarded() {
-                    vote.take_vote();
+                if vote.is_forwarded() && vote.take_vote().is_some() {
+                    self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
                 }
             });
     }
@@ -726,6 +729,9 @@ mod tests {
                             let mut latest_vote = lock.write().unwrap();
                             if !latest_vote.is_vote_taken() {
                                 latest_vote.take_vote();
+                                latest_unprocessed_votes_tpu
+                                    .num_unprocessed_votes
+                                    .fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
                             }
                         });
                     }