diff --git a/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go b/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
index 1fd7990a7577..35814953dd6a 100644
--- a/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
+++ b/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
@@ -89,13 +89,18 @@ func (k Keeper) AllocateTokensToValidator(ctx context.Context, val stakingtypes.
 	commission := tokens.MulDec(val.GetCommission())
 	shared := tokens.Sub(commission)
 
+	valStr, err := k.stakingKeeper.ValidatorAddressCodec().BytesToString(val.GetOperator())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// update current commission
 	sdkCtx := sdk.UnwrapSDKContext(ctx)
 	sdkCtx.EventManager().EmitEvent(
 		sdk.NewEvent(
 			types.EventTypeCommission,
 			sdk.NewAttribute(sdk.AttributeKeyAmount, commission.String()),
-			sdk.NewAttribute(types.AttributeKeyValidator, val.GetOperator().String()),
+			sdk.NewAttribute(types.AttributeKeyValidator, valStr),
 		),
 	)
 	currentCommission, err := k.ValidatorsAccumulatedCommission.Get(ctx, val.GetOperator())
diff --git a/x/gov/keeper/tally.go b/x/gov/keeper/tally.go
index 63248ef3a1d5..2486c056b41b 100644
--- a/x/gov/keeper/tally.go
+++ b/x/gov/keeper/tally.go
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ func (keeper Keeper) Tally(ctx context.Context, proposal v1.Proposal) (passes, b
 
 	// fetch all the bonded validators, insert them into currValidators
 	err = keeper.sk.IterateBondedValidatorsByPower(ctx, func(index int64, validator stakingtypes.ValidatorI) (stop bool) {
-		currValidators[validator.GetOperator().String()] = v1.NewValidatorGovInfo(
+		valStr, err := keeper.sk.ValidatorAddressCodec().BytesToString(validator.GetOperator())
+		if err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+		currValidators[valStr] = v1.NewValidatorGovInfo(
 			validator.GetOperator(),
 			validator.GetBondedTokens(),
 			validator.GetDelegatorShares(),
@@ -50,7 +54,10 @@ func (keeper Keeper) Tally(ctx context.Context, proposal v1.Proposal) (passes, b
 			return false, err
 		}
 
-		valAddrStr := sdk.ValAddress(voter).String()
+		valAddrStr, err := keeper.sk.ValidatorAddressCodec().BytesToString(voter)
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
 		if val, ok := currValidators[valAddrStr]; ok {
 			val.Vote = vote.Options
 			currValidators[valAddrStr] = val
diff --git a/x/gov/testutil/expected_keepers_mocks.go b/x/gov/testutil/expected_keepers_mocks.go
index cf036c1a98c6..6f0d5ef04bb5 100644
--- a/x/gov/testutil/expected_keepers_mocks.go
+++ b/x/gov/testutil/expected_keepers_mocks.go
@@ -1056,6 +1056,20 @@ func (mr *MockStakingKeeperMockRecorder) TotalBondedTokens(arg0 interface{}) *go
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "TotalBondedTokens", reflect.TypeOf((*MockStakingKeeper)(nil).TotalBondedTokens), arg0)
 }
 
+// ValidatorAddressCodec mocks base method.
+func (m *MockStakingKeeper) ValidatorAddressCodec() address.Codec {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "ValidatorAddressCodec")
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(address.Codec)
+	return ret0
+}
+
+// ValidatorAddressCodec indicates an expected call of ValidatorAddressCodec.
+func (mr *MockStakingKeeperMockRecorder) ValidatorAddressCodec() *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "ValidatorAddressCodec", reflect.TypeOf((*MockStakingKeeper)(nil).ValidatorAddressCodec))
+}
+
 // MockDistributionKeeper is a mock of DistributionKeeper interface.
 type MockDistributionKeeper struct {
 	ctrl     *gomock.Controller
diff --git a/x/gov/types/expected_keepers.go b/x/gov/types/expected_keepers.go
index 4a1917c437e7..199aac1cdeba 100644
--- a/x/gov/types/expected_keepers.go
+++ b/x/gov/types/expected_keepers.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type ParamSubspace interface {
 
 // StakingKeeper expected staking keeper (Validator and Delegator sets) (noalias)
 type StakingKeeper interface {
+	ValidatorAddressCodec() addresscodec.Codec
 	// iterate through bonded validators by operator address, execute func for each validator
 	IterateBondedValidatorsByPower(
 		context.Context, func(index int64, validator stakingtypes.ValidatorI) (stop bool),