diff --git a/x/gov/keeper.go b/x/gov/keeper.go
index 8af2d1fd3a..2a462cfb42 100644
--- a/x/gov/keeper.go
+++ b/x/gov/keeper.go
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ type Keeper struct {
 	codespace sdk.CodespaceType
 }
 
-// NewGovernanceMapper returns a mapper that uses go-codec to (binary) encode and decode gov types.
+// NewKeeper returns a governance keeper. It handles:
+// - submitting governance proposals
+// - depositing funds into proposals, and activating upon sufficient funds being deposited
+// - users voting on proposals, with weight proportional to stake in the system
+// - and tallying the result of the vote.
 func NewKeeper(cdc *codec.Codec, key sdk.StoreKey, ps params.Setter, ck bank.Keeper, ds sdk.DelegationSet, codespace sdk.CodespaceType) Keeper {
 	return Keeper{
 		storeKey:  key,
@@ -51,11 +55,6 @@ func NewKeeper(cdc *codec.Codec, key sdk.StoreKey, ps params.Setter, ck bank.Kee
 	}
 }
 
-// Returns the go-codec codec.
-func (keeper Keeper) WireCodec() *codec.Codec {
-	return keeper.cdc
-}
-
 // =====================================================
 // Proposals
 
diff --git a/x/gov/proposals.go b/x/gov/proposals.go
index e680699575..37e29df704 100644
--- a/x/gov/proposals.go
+++ b/x/gov/proposals.go
@@ -192,8 +192,9 @@ func (pt ProposalKind) String() string {
 func (pt ProposalKind) Format(s fmt.State, verb rune) {
 	switch verb {
 	case 's':
-		s.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("%s", pt.String())))
+		s.Write([]byte(pt.String()))
 	default:
+		// TODO: Do this conversion more directly
 		s.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("%v", byte(pt))))
 	}
 }
@@ -295,8 +296,9 @@ func (status ProposalStatus) String() string {
 func (status ProposalStatus) Format(s fmt.State, verb rune) {
 	switch verb {
 	case 's':
-		s.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("%s", status.String())))
+		s.Write([]byte(status.String()))
 	default:
+		// TODO: Do this conversion more directly
 		s.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("%v", byte(status))))
 	}
 }
@@ -322,11 +324,8 @@ func EmptyTallyResult() TallyResult {
 
 // checks if two proposals are equal
 func (resultA TallyResult) Equals(resultB TallyResult) bool {
-	if resultA.Yes.Equal(resultB.Yes) &&
+	return (resultA.Yes.Equal(resultB.Yes) &&
 		resultA.Abstain.Equal(resultB.Abstain) &&
 		resultA.No.Equal(resultB.No) &&
-		resultA.NoWithVeto.Equal(resultB.NoWithVeto) {
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
+		resultA.NoWithVeto.Equal(resultB.NoWithVeto))
 }
diff --git a/x/gov/proposals_test.go b/x/gov/proposals_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1d5f2cf389
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/gov/proposals_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package gov
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestProposalKind_Format(t *testing.T) {
+	typeText, _ := ProposalTypeFromString("Text")
+	tests := []struct {
+		pt                   ProposalKind
+		sprintFArgs          string
+		expectedStringOutput string
+	}{
+		{typeText, "%s", "Text"},
+		{typeText, "%v", "1"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		got := fmt.Sprintf(tt.sprintFArgs, tt.pt)
+		require.Equal(t, tt.expectedStringOutput, got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProposalStatus_Format(t *testing.T) {
+	statusDepositPeriod, _ := ProposalStatusFromString("DepositPeriod")
+	tests := []struct {
+		pt                   ProposalStatus
+		sprintFArgs          string
+		expectedStringOutput string
+	}{
+		{statusDepositPeriod, "%s", "DepositPeriod"},
+		{statusDepositPeriod, "%v", "1"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		got := fmt.Sprintf(tt.sprintFArgs, tt.pt)
+		require.Equal(t, tt.expectedStringOutput, got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/x/gov/queryable.go b/x/gov/queryable.go
index f20bb46f78..44380fe91a 100644
--- a/x/gov/queryable.go
+++ b/x/gov/queryable.go
@@ -205,12 +205,12 @@ func queryTally(ctx sdk.Context, path []string, req abci.RequestQuery, keeper Ke
 	var proposalID int64
 	err2 := keeper.cdc.UnmarshalJSON(req.Data, proposalID)
 	if err2 != nil {
-		return []byte{}, sdk.ErrUnknownRequest(fmt.Sprintf("incorrectly formatted request data - %s", err2.Error()))
+		return res, sdk.ErrUnknownRequest(fmt.Sprintf("incorrectly formatted request data - %s", err2.Error()))
 	}
 
 	proposal := keeper.GetProposal(ctx, proposalID)
 	if proposal == nil {
-		return []byte{}, ErrUnknownProposal(DefaultCodespace, proposalID)
+		return res, ErrUnknownProposal(DefaultCodespace, proposalID)
 	}
 
 	var tallyResult TallyResult