diff --git a/app/models/payout.rb b/app/models/payout.rb
index 1af42454..9cce937b 100644
--- a/app/models/payout.rb
+++ b/app/models/payout.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Payout < ApplicationRecord
   scope :escrowed, -> { where(escrowed: true) }
   scope :released, -> { where(escrowed: false) }
 
-  VOTE_COUNT_REQUIRED = 14
+  VOTE_COUNT_REQUIRED = 10
 
   # x = ELO percentile (0-1)
   def self.calculate_multiplier(x)
diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 03d37487..130f64d8 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -543,17 +543,17 @@ def issue_payouts
       ship_event_vote_count = VoteChange.where(project: self).where("created_at > ?", ship.created_at).count
 
       # Only process ship events that have exactly 18 votes
-      next unless ship_event_vote_count == 14
+      next unless ship_event_vote_count == 10
 
       # Calculate cumulative vote count for this ship event payout
       votes_before_ship = VoteChange.where(project: self).where("created_at <= ?", ship.created_at).count
-      cumulative_vote_count_at_payout = votes_before_ship + 14
+      cumulative_vote_count_at_payout = votes_before_ship + 10
 
       puts "Ship #{ship.id} created at #{ship.created_at}: votes_before=#{votes_before_ship}, cumulative=#{cumulative_vote_count_at_payout}"
 
       # Find when this ship event got its 18th vote
       # This is when votes_before_ship + votes after ship creation = cumulative_vote_count_at_payout
-      ship_votes_needed = 14
+      ship_votes_needed = 10
       target_vote_count = votes_before_ship + ship_votes_needed
 
       # Get the project's ELO rating when it reached this target vote count
diff --git a/app/services/user_vote_queue_matchup_service.rb b/app/services/user_vote_queue_matchup_service.rb
index c5c5e8ac..9648be82 100644
--- a/app/services/user_vote_queue_matchup_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/user_vote_queue_matchup_service.rb
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ def build!
 
     @unpaid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| !p[:is_paid] }
     @paid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| p[:is_paid] }
-    @mature_unpaid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| p[:votes_count].to_i >= 12 && !p[:is_paid] }
-    @immature_unpaid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| p[:votes_count].to_i < 12 && !p[:is_paid] }
+    @mature_unpaid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| p[:votes_count].to_i >= 10 && !p[:is_paid] }
+    @immature_unpaid_projects = @projects_with_time.select { |p| p[:votes_count].to_i < 5 && !p[:is_paid] }
     self
   end