diff --git a/backend/app/services/orchestrator/steps.py b/backend/app/services/orchestrator/steps.py
index 1bb55e4..11d61b7 100644
--- a/backend/app/services/orchestrator/steps.py
+++ b/backend/app/services/orchestrator/steps.py
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ All service imports are at module level so tests can monkeypatch via
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import html
 import logging
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from app.config import settings
-from app.models import FamilyMember, FamilyProfile, MealPlan, MealPlanItemStatus
+from app.models import FamilyMember, FamilyProfile, MealPlan, MealPlanItemStatus, MealPlanVote
 from app.services.approval import issue_token
 from app.services.email import get_email_backend
 from app.services.orchestrator.alerts import send_admin_alert
@@ -255,3 +256,95 @@ def step_finalize(run: "WeeklyRun", db: "Session") -> None:
     run.status = "completed"
     db.commit()
     logger.info("step_finalize: done, %d approved meals", len(approved_items))
+
+
+def step_reminder(run: "WeeklyRun", db: "Session") -> None:
+    if run.reminded_at is not None:
+        logger.info("step_reminder: already done for %s", run.week_start_date)
+        return
+
+    if run.emailed_at is None:
+        logger.info("step_reminder: proposal not sent yet for %s, skipping", run.week_start_date)
+        return
+
+    plan = (
+        db.query(MealPlan)
+        .filter(
+            MealPlan.family_profile_id == run.family_id,
+            MealPlan.week_start_date == run.week_start_date,
+        )
+        .first()
+    )
+    if plan is None:
+        run.reminded_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        db.commit()
+        return
+
+    pending_item_ids = [
+        item.id
+        for item in plan.items
+        if item.approval_status == MealPlanItemStatus.PENDING
+    ]
+    if not pending_item_ids:
+        run.reminded_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        db.commit()
+        return
+
+    members = (
+        db.query(FamilyMember)
+        .filter(
+            FamilyMember.family_profile_id == run.family_id,
+            FamilyMember.email.isnot(None),
+        )
+        .all()
+    )
+
+    backend = get_email_backend()
+    for member in members:
+        voted_ids = {
+            v.meal_plan_item_id
+            for v in db.query(MealPlanVote)
+            .filter(
+                MealPlanVote.meal_plan_item_id.in_(pending_item_ids),
+                MealPlanVote.family_member_id == member.id,
+            )
+            .all()
+        }
+        unvoted = [
+            item
+            for item in plan.items
+            if item.approval_status == MealPlanItemStatus.PENDING
+            and item.id not in voted_ids
+        ]
+        if not unvoted:
+            continue
+
+        item_html_parts = []
+        for item in unvoted:
+            token = issue_token(item.id, member.id)
+            vote_url = (
+                f"{settings.APP_BASE_URL}/api/meals/vote/{item.id}?token={token}"
+            )
+            recipe_name = html.escape(
+                item.recipe.name if item.recipe else str(item.recipe_id)
+            )
+            item_html_parts.append(
+                f'<li>{recipe_name} — <a href="{vote_url}">Vote</a></li>'
+            )
+
+        email_html = (
+            f"<h2>Vote closes in 1 hour!</h2>"
+            f"<p>Hi {html.escape(member.name)}, the meal plan vote closes at Fri 17:00 PT. "
+            f"You haven't voted on:</p>"
+            f"<ul>{''.join(item_html_parts)}</ul>"
+        )
+        backend.send(
+            to=member.email,
+            subject=f"Meal plan vote closes in 1 hour — week of {run.week_start_date}",
+            html=email_html,
+        )
+        logger.info("step_reminder: sent to %s", member.email)
+
+    run.reminded_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    db.commit()
+    logger.info("step_reminder: done for %s", run.week_start_date)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py b/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py
index 9689765..c09960a 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_orchestrator.py
@@ -135,6 +135,23 @@ def weekly_run_emailed(db, family):
     return r
 
 
+@pytest.fixture()
+def weekly_run_reminded(db, family):
+    from app.models import WeeklyRun
+    r = WeeklyRun(
+        family_id=family.id,
+        week_start_date=WEEK,
+        status="running",
+        scraped_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        generated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        emailed_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+        reminded_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+    )
+    db.add(r)
+    db.flush()
+    return r
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # alerts.py tests
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -299,6 +316,84 @@ def test_step_email_stale_banner(db, weekly_run_generated, meal_plan, pending_it
     assert "prices" in sent[0]["html"].lower() or "stale" in sent[0]["html"].lower()
 
 
+# ── step_reminder ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_step_reminder_idempotent(db, weekly_run_reminded):
+    original_ts = weekly_run_reminded.reminded_at
+    from app.services.orchestrator.steps import step_reminder
+    step_reminder(weekly_run_reminded, db)
+    assert weekly_run_reminded.reminded_at == original_ts
+
+
+def test_step_reminder_skips_when_not_emailed(db, weekly_run_generated, monkeypatch):
+    sent = []
+
+    class FakeBackend:
+        def send(self, **kwargs):
+            sent.append(kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.steps.get_email_backend",
+        lambda: FakeBackend(),
+    )
+    from app.services.orchestrator.steps import step_reminder
+    step_reminder(weekly_run_generated, db)
+    # emailed_at is None on weekly_run_generated — should be a no-op
+    assert len(sent) == 0
+    assert weekly_run_generated.reminded_at is None
+
+
+def test_step_reminder_sends_to_non_voter(
+    db, weekly_run_emailed, meal_plan, pending_item, member, monkeypatch
+):
+    sent = []
+
+    class FakeBackend:
+        def send(self, **kwargs):
+            sent.append(kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.steps.get_email_backend",
+        lambda: FakeBackend(),
+    )
+    from app.services.orchestrator.steps import step_reminder
+    step_reminder(weekly_run_emailed, db)
+    assert weekly_run_emailed.reminded_at is not None
+    assert len(sent) == 1
+    assert sent[0]["to"] == "alice@example.com"
+    assert "1 hour" in sent[0]["subject"].lower() or "closes" in sent[0]["subject"].lower()
+
+
+def test_step_reminder_skips_voter(
+    db, weekly_run_emailed, meal_plan, pending_item, member, monkeypatch
+):
+    from app.models import MealPlanVote
+    vote = MealPlanVote(
+        meal_plan_item_id=pending_item.id,
+        family_member_id=member.id,
+        vote=True,
+    )
+    db.add(vote)
+    db.flush()
+
+    sent = []
+
+    class FakeBackend:
+        def send(self, **kwargs):
+            sent.append(kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "app.services.orchestrator.steps.get_email_backend",
+        lambda: FakeBackend(),
+    )
+    from app.services.orchestrator.steps import step_reminder
+    step_reminder(weekly_run_emailed, db)
+    # member already voted — no reminder
+    assert len(sent) == 0
+    assert weekly_run_emailed.reminded_at is not None
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # step_deadline tests
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------