diff --git a/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go b/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
index 9436bada9d..ad9ef55ad0 100644
--- a/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
+++ b/x/distribution/keeper/allocation.go
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 // AllocateTokens handles distribution of the collected fees
+// bondedVotes is a list of (validator address, validator voted on last block flag) for all
+// validators in the bonded set.
 func (k Keeper) AllocateTokens(
 	ctx sdk.Context, sumPreviousPrecommitPower, totalPreviousPower int64,
-	previousProposer sdk.ConsAddress, previousVotes []abci.VoteInfo,
+	previousProposer sdk.ConsAddress, bondedVotes []abci.VoteInfo,
 ) {
 
 	logger := k.Logger(ctx)
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ func (k Keeper) AllocateTokens(
 
 	// allocate tokens proportionally to voting power
 	// TODO consider parallelizing later, ref https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/3099#discussion_r246276376
-	for _, vote := range previousVotes {
+	for _, vote := range bondedVotes {
 		validator := k.stakingKeeper.ValidatorByConsAddr(ctx, vote.Validator.Address)
 
 		// TODO consider microslashing for missing votes.