diff --git a/src/avalanche/processor.h b/src/avalanche/processor.h
--- a/src/avalanche/processor.h
+++ b/src/avalanche/processor.h
@@ -61,35 +61,22 @@
     Finalized,
 };
 
-class BlockUpdate {
-    union {
-        CBlockIndex *pindex;
-        uintptr_t raw;
-    };
-
-    static const size_t STATUS_BITS = 2;
-    static const uintptr_t MASK = (1 << STATUS_BITS) - 1;
-
-    static_assert(
-        alignof(CBlockIndex) >= (1 << STATUS_BITS),
-        "CBlockIndex alignement doesn't allow for Status to be stored.");
+template <typename VoteItem> class VoteItemUpdate {
+    VoteItem item;
+    VoteStatus status;
 
 public:
-    BlockUpdate(CBlockIndex *pindexIn, VoteStatus statusIn) : pindex(pindexIn) {
-        raw |= static_cast<uint8_t>(statusIn);
-    }
+    VoteItemUpdate(const VoteItem itemIn, VoteStatus statusIn)
+        : item(itemIn), status(statusIn) {}
 
-    VoteStatus getStatus() const { return VoteStatus(raw & MASK); }
+    const VoteStatus &getStatus() const { return status; }
 
-    CBlockIndex *getBlockIndex() {
-        return reinterpret_cast<CBlockIndex *>(raw & ~MASK);
-    }
-
-    const CBlockIndex *getBlockIndex() const {
-        return const_cast<BlockUpdate *>(this)->getBlockIndex();
-    }
+    VoteItem getVoteItem() { return item; }
+    const VoteItem getVoteItem() const { return item; }
 };
 
+using BlockUpdate = VoteItemUpdate<CBlockIndex *>;
+
 using BlockVoteMap =
     std::map<const CBlockIndex *, VoteRecord, CBlockIndexWorkComparator>;
 using ProofVoteMap = std::map<const std::shared_ptr<Proof>, VoteRecord,
diff --git a/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp b/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
--- a/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/avalanche/test/processor_tests.cpp
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@
         BlockUpdate abu(pindex, s);
         // The use of BOOST_CHECK instead of BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL prevents from
         // having to define operator<<() for each argument type.
-        BOOST_CHECK(abu.getBlockIndex() == pindex);
+        BOOST_CHECK(abu.getVoteItem() == pindex);
         BOOST_CHECK(abu.getStatus() == s);
     }
 }
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@
     // Now finalize the decision.
     registerNewVote(next(resp));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(updates.size(), 1);
-    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getBlockIndex() == pindex);
+    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getVoteItem() == pindex);
     BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getStatus() == VoteStatus::Finalized);
     updates = {};
 
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@
     registerNewVote(next(resp));
     BOOST_CHECK(!m_processor->isAccepted(pindex));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(updates.size(), 1);
-    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getBlockIndex() == pindex);
+    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getVoteItem() == pindex);
     BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getStatus() == VoteStatus::Rejected);
     updates = {};
 
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@
     registerNewVote(next(resp));
     BOOST_CHECK(!m_processor->isAccepted(pindex));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(updates.size(), 1);
-    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getBlockIndex() == pindex);
+    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getVoteItem() == pindex);
     BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getStatus() == VoteStatus::Invalid);
     updates = {};
 
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@
     // Next vote will finalize block A.
     BOOST_CHECK(registerVotes(firstNodeid, next(resp), updates));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(updates.size(), 1);
-    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getBlockIndex() == pindexA);
+    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getVoteItem() == pindexA);
     BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getStatus() == VoteStatus::Finalized);
     updates = {};
 
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@
     // Next vote will finalize block B.
     BOOST_CHECK(registerVotes(secondNodeid, resp, updates));
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(updates.size(), 1);
-    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getBlockIndex() == pindexB);
+    BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getVoteItem() == pindexB);
     BOOST_CHECK(updates[0].getStatus() == VoteStatus::Finalized);
     updates = {};
 
diff --git a/src/net_processing.cpp b/src/net_processing.cpp
--- a/src/net_processing.cpp
+++ b/src/net_processing.cpp
@@ -4392,7 +4392,7 @@
 
         if (updates.size()) {
             for (avalanche::BlockUpdate &u : updates) {
-                CBlockIndex *pindex = u.getBlockIndex();
+                CBlockIndex *pindex = u.getVoteItem();
                 switch (u.getStatus()) {
                     case avalanche::VoteStatus::Invalid:
                     case avalanche::VoteStatus::Rejected: {