diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
index effc29dc..8e88412a 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
@@ -152,15 +152,21 @@ def run_upsert_validator_approve(args, bigchain):
     :return: a success message
     :raises: OperationError if the write transaction fails for any reason
     """
+
     key = load_node_key(args.sk)
     tx = bigchain.get_transaction(args.election_id)
-    voting_power = ValidatorElection.current_validators(bigchain)[key.public_key]
-    approval_tx = ValidatorElectionVote.generate(tx.to_inputs(), [
+    voting_power = ValidatorElection.current_validators(bigchain)[
+        key.public_key]
+
+    approval = ValidatorElectionVote.generate(tx.to_inputs(), [
         ([key.public_key], voting_power)], tx.id).sign([key.private_key])
-    approval_tx.validate(bigchain)
-    resp = bigchain.write_transaction(approval_tx, 'broadcast_tx_commit')
+    approval.validate(bigchain)
+
+    resp = bigchain.write_transaction(approval, 'broadcast_tx_commit')
+
     if resp == (202, ''):
-        return 'Your vote has been submitted.'
+        print('Your vote has been submitted.')
+        return approval.id
     else:
         raise OperationError('Failed to vote for election')
 
diff --git a/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py b/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
index 4717e708..bdd5a22f 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
@@ -32,11 +32,10 @@ class ValidatorElection(Transaction):
         """Return a dictionary of validators with key as `public_key` and
            value as the `voting_power`
         """
-
         validators = {}
         for validator in bigchain.get_validators():
             # NOTE: we assume that Tendermint encodes public key in base64
-            public_key = public_key_from_ed25519_key(key_from_base64(validator['pub_key']['value']))
+            public_key = public_key_from_ed25519_key(key_from_base64(validator['pub_key']['data']))
             validators[public_key] = validator['voting_power']
 
         return validators
@@ -114,7 +113,7 @@ class ValidatorElection(Transaction):
         if not self.is_same_topology(current_validators, self.outputs):
             raise UnequalValidatorSet('Validator set much be exactly same to the outputs of election')
 
-        return True
+        return self
 
     @classmethod
     def generate(cls, initiator, voters, election_data, metadata=None):
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_commands.py b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
index 0579c8e8..743924be 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
@@ -411,37 +411,26 @@ def test_upsert_validator_new_without_tendermint(b, priv_validator_path, user_sk
     assert b.get_transaction(resp)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.tendermint
 @pytest.mark.abci
 @pytest.mark.bdb
-def test_upsert_validator_approve(b, priv_validator_path, user_sk, monkeypatch):
+def test_upsert_validator_approve(b, priv_validator_path, user_sk, validators):
     from bigchaindb.commands.bigchaindb import run_upsert_validator_new, \
         run_upsert_validator_approve
 
-    def mock_get():
-        return [
-            {'pub_key': {'value': 'zL/DasvKulXZzhSNFwx4cLRXKkSM9GPK7Y0nZ4FEylM=',
-                         'type': 'tendermint/PubKeyEd25519'},
-             'voting_power': 10}
-        ]
-
-    def mock_write(tx, mode):
-        b.store_transaction(tx)
-        return 202, ''
-    b.get_validators = mock_get
-    b.write_transaction = mock_write
-    monkeypatch.setattr('requests.get', mock_get)
-    public_key = 'CJxdItf4lz2PwEf4SmYNAu/c/VpmX39JEgC5YpH7fxg='
+    public_key = '8eJ8q9ZQpReWyQT5aFCiwtZ5wDZC4eDnCen88p3tQ6ie'
     new_args = Namespace(action='new',
                          public_key=public_key,
                          power=1,
                          node_id='12345',
                          sk=priv_validator_path,
                          config={})
+
     election_id = run_upsert_validator_new(new_args, b)
+
     args = Namespace(action='approve',
                      election_id=election_id,
                      sk=priv_validator_path,
                      config={})
     approve = run_upsert_validator_approve(args, b)
-    assert approve == 'Your vote has been submitted.'
+
+    assert b.get_transaction(approve)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index e08a3886..8b7c61d6 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ def ed25519_node_keys(node_keys):
     return node_keys_dict
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+@pytest.fixture
 def node_keys():
     return {'zL/DasvKulXZzhSNFwx4cLRXKkSM9GPK7Y0nZ4FEylM=':
             'cM5oW4J0zmUSZ/+QRoRlincvgCwR0pEjFoY//ZnnjD3Mv8Nqy8q6VdnOFI0XDHhwtFcqRIz0Y8rtjSdngUTKUw==',
@@ -673,7 +673,12 @@ def node_keys():
             'uz8bYgoL4rHErWT1gjjrnA+W7bgD/uDQWSRKDmC8otc95wnnxJo1GxYlmh0OaqOkJaobpu13BcUcvITjRFiVgw=='}
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
+@pytest.fixture
+def private_validator_keys(node_keys):
+    return list(node_keys.items())[0]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
 def priv_validator_path(node_keys):
     (public_key, private_key) = list(node_keys.items())[0]
     priv_validator = {
@@ -695,3 +700,21 @@ def priv_validator_path(node_keys):
     json.dump(priv_validator, socket)
     socket.close()
     return path
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def validators(b, node_keys):
+    from bigchaindb.backend import query
+
+    (public_key, private_key) = list(node_keys.items())[0]
+
+    validator_set = [{'address': 'F5426F0980E36E03044F74DD414248D29ABCBDB2',
+                      'pub_key': {
+                          'data': public_key,
+                          'type': 'ed25519'},
+                      'voting_power': 10}]
+
+    validator_update = {'validators': validator_set,
+                        'height': 4266642}
+
+    query.store_validator_set(b.connection, validator_update)