diff --git a/app/roles/votes.rb b/app/roles/votes.rb
index fb132a33..3a584d8b 100644
--- a/app/roles/votes.rb
+++ b/app/roles/votes.rb
@@ -8,4 +8,9 @@ module Votes
   def downvotes
     notes.select(&:downvote?).size
   end
+
+  # Return the total number of votes
+  def votes_count
+    upvotes + downvotes
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/roles/votes_spec.rb b/spec/roles/votes_spec.rb
index 43817999..5c3548a5 100644
--- a/spec/roles/votes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/roles/votes_spec.rb
@@ -50,4 +50,33 @@ describe Issue do
       issue.downvotes.should == 2
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#votes_count" do
+    it "with no notes has a 0/0 score" do
+      issue.votes_count.should == 0
+    end
+
+    it "should recognize non notes" do
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "No +1 here")
+      issue.should have(1).note
+      issue.votes_count.should == 0
+    end
+
+    it "should recognize a single +1 note" do
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "+1 This is awesome")
+      issue.votes_count.should == 1
+    end
+
+    it "should recognize a single -1 note" do
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "-1 This is bad")
+      issue.votes_count.should == 1
+    end
+
+    it "should recognize multiple notes" do
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "+1 This is awesome")
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "-1 This is bad")
+      issue.notes << create(:note, note: "+1 I want this")
+      issue.votes_count.should == 3
+    end
+  end
 end