diff --git a/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py b/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
index a857ba78..da28cb30 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/pipelines/vote.py
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ from multipipes import Pipeline, Node
 import bigchaindb
 from bigchaindb import Bigchain
 from bigchaindb import backend
-from bigchaindb import config_utils
 from bigchaindb.backend.changefeed import ChangeFeed
-from bigchaindb.consensus import BaseConsensusRules
 from bigchaindb.models import Transaction, Block
 from bigchaindb.common import exceptions
 
@@ -37,13 +35,6 @@ class Vote:
         # we need to create a temporary instance of BigchainDB that we use
         # only to query RethinkDB
 
-        consensusPlugin = bigchaindb.config.get('consensus_plugin')
-
-        if consensusPlugin:
-            self.consensus = config_utils.load_consensus_plugin(consensusPlugin)
-        else:
-            self.consensus = BaseConsensusRules
-
         # This is the Bigchain instance that will be "shared" (aka: copied)
         # by all the subprocesses