diff --git a/app/Services/GalleryManager.php b/app/Services/GalleryManager.php
index 2f955f6b3..51574a9bc 100644
--- a/app/Services/GalleryManager.php
+++ b/app/Services/GalleryManager.php
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ public function castVote($action, $submission, $user) {
 
             // Get existing vote data if it exists, remove any existing vote data for the user,
             // add the new vote data, and json encode it
-            $voteData = (isset($submission->vote_data) ? collect(json_decode($submission->vote_data, true)) : collect([]));
+            $voteData = (isset($submission->vote_data) ? collect($submission->vote_data, true) : collect([]));
             $voteData->get($user->id) ? $voteData->pull($user->id) : null;
             $voteData->put($user->id, $vote);
             $submission->vote_data = $voteData->toJson();