diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 336df45..d2de37f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -37,3 +37,9 @@ bun.lockb
 
 # Local Netlify folder
 .netlify
+
+# Claude
+.claude/
+
+# Misc
+deno.lock
diff --git a/components/choices/index.js b/components/choices/index.js
index 376f5a0..c232ba8 100644
--- a/components/choices/index.js
+++ b/components/choices/index.js
@@ -260,9 +260,10 @@ const updateChoiceById = async (req, response) => {
 
       if (isVoted.length > 0) {
         const oldVoteObj = isVoted[0].walletAddresses.find(x => x.address === address);
-        oldVote = await ChoiceModel.findById(oldVoteObj.choiceId);
+        // isVoted[0] is already the Choice document containing the old vote
+        oldVote = isVoted[0];
 
-        const oldSignaturePayload = oldVote.walletAddresses[0].payloadBytes
+        const oldSignaturePayload = oldVoteObj?.payloadBytes;
         if (oldSignaturePayload) {
           const oldSignatureDate =
             getTimestampFromPayloadBytes(oldSignaturePayload);
diff --git a/db/mongoose-connection.js b/db/mongoose-connection.js
index 16ea510..d7f5ae4 100644
--- a/db/mongoose-connection.js
+++ b/db/mongoose-connection.js
@@ -44,3 +44,4 @@ async function connectToMongoose() {
 
 module.exports = { connectToMongoose };
 
+
diff --git a/netlify/functions/api.js b/netlify/functions/api.js
index 3bf1534..f8222c2 100644
--- a/netlify/functions/api.js
+++ b/netlify/functions/api.js
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ exports.handler = async (event, context) => {
   return serverlessHandler(event, context);
 };
 
+
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 488e43c..e365f28 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -46,5 +46,6 @@
     "mongodb-memory-server": "^9.1.4",
     "nodemon": "^3.1.0",
     "supertest": "^6.3.3"
-  }
+  },
+  "packageManager": "pnpm@9.12.2+sha512.22721b3a11f81661ae1ec68ce1a7b879425a1ca5b991c975b074ac220b187ce56c708fe5db69f4c962c989452eee76c82877f4ee80f474cebd61ee13461b6228"
 }
diff --git a/services/index.js b/services/index.js
index 1327bac..5f19099 100644
--- a/services/index.js
+++ b/services/index.js
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ const networkNameMap = {
 };
 
 const rpcNodes = {
-  mainnet: "https://mainnet.api.tez.ie",
-  ghostnet: "https://ghostnet.smartpy.io",
+  mainnet: "https://rpc.tzkt.io/mainnet",
+  ghostnet: "https://rpc.tzkt.io/ghostnet",
 };
 
 const getTokenMetadata = async (contractAddress, network, tokenId) => {
diff --git a/utils.js b/utils.js
index 8bbc48e..665d2cb 100644
--- a/utils.js
+++ b/utils.js
@@ -77,6 +77,24 @@ const getUserBalanceAtLevel = async (
   return new BigNumber(0);
 };
 
+const getUserXTZBalanceAtLevelViaRpc = async (network, level, userAddress) => {
+  const rpcUrl = rpcNodes[network];
+  const url = `${rpcUrl}/chains/main/blocks/${level}/context/contracts/${userAddress}/full_balance`;
+
+  try {
+    const response = await axios({ url, method: "GET" });
+    if (response.status === 200) {
+      return new BigNumber(response.data);
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    // RPC failed (likely historical block not available), fall back to TzKT
+    console.warn(`RPC failed for block ${level}, falling back to TzKT API`);
+    return await getUserXTZBalanceAtLevel(network, level, userAddress);
+  }
+
+  return new BigNumber(0);
+};
+
 const getUserXTZBalanceAtLevel = async (network, level, userAddress) => {
   const url = `https://api.${network}.tzkt.io/v1/accounts/${userAddress}/balance_history/${level}`;
   const response = await axios({ url, method: "GET" });
@@ -173,11 +191,18 @@ const getUserTotalVotingPowerAtReferenceBlock = async (
 
     return userVotingPower;
   } else {
-    const selfBalance = await getUserXTZBalanceAtLevel(
+    const selfBalance = await getUserXTZBalanceAtLevelViaRpc(
+      network,
+      level,
+      userAddress
+    );
+    const selfBalanceLegacy = await getUserXTZBalanceAtLevel(
       network,
       level,
       userAddress
     );
+    console.log("selfBalance: ", selfBalance);
+    console.log("selfBalanceLegacy: ", selfBalanceLegacy);
     return userVotingPower.plus(selfBalance);
   }
 };