diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
index 633b98c712b..a3760e44da6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_cd.yml
@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup CI env
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-env
         with:
-          # No Python setup is needed, the built-in Python runtime is okay.
-          setup_python: false
+          # PDM is needed to run Vale
+          setup_python: "true"
           # Node.js is needed by lint actions.
           install_recipe: "node-install"
 
diff --git a/.vale/.gitignore b/.vale/.gitignore
index f8cea4a9562..9658b6fb34e 100644
--- a/.vale/.gitignore
+++ b/.vale/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 styles/*
-!styles/Vocab/
+!styles/config/
 !styles/Openverse/
diff --git a/.vale/.vale.ini b/.vale/.vale.ini
index f3be33fd614..5df35fa5604 100644
--- a/.vale/.vale.ini
+++ b/.vale/.vale.ini
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-StylesPath = styles
-
 MinAlertLevel = suggestion
 Vocab = Openverse
 # Using an explicit reference to downloads for package zips rather than the shorthand allows us to
diff --git a/.vale/Dockerfile b/.vale/Dockerfile
deleted file mode 100644
index 1afd8b6e0fa..00000000000
--- a/.vale/Dockerfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-FROM jdkato/vale:v2.30.0
-
-WORKDIR /vale
-COPY .vale.ini .
-
-RUN vale sync
-
-COPY styles styles
-
-ENTRYPOINT ["vale", "--config=/vale/.vale.ini"]
diff --git a/.vale/README.md b/.vale/README.md
index ce9441ad83b..b177777463b 100644
--- a/.vale/README.md
+++ b/.vale/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
 # Openverse Vale configuration
 
-Openverse runs Vale using Docker. This bypasses the need for contributors to
-install the Vale binary on their computers. It also prevents Vale styles getting
-downloaded into the repository in clear text, which is critical to avoid lists
-of sensitive terms being accidentally too-easily available.
+Openverse runs Vale using
+[Vale's PyPI distribution](https://pypi.org/project/vale/). This allows our Vale
+version to be tracked in this directory's `pyproject.toml`, meaning tools like
+Renovate will be aware of and update it automatically.
+
+This approach to running Vale is intended specifically for running inside `ov`,
+and will likely not work outside `ov`. Synced styles are kept in `ov`'s `opt`
+directory, which prevents downloaded styles from appearing within the project
+files on a contributor's computer.
 
 For more information about this motivation to avoid lists of sensitive terms in
 the Openverse monorepo, refer to the README at
@@ -15,15 +20,11 @@ To run Vale with Openverse's configuration, use the just recipe:
 ov just .vale/run
 ```
 
-This recipe _always_ builds Vale. The Openverse Vale docker image is fast to
-build, and the most expensive steps are cached. Docker will automatically reuse
-the pre-existing image unless there are changes to the Vale configuration.
-
-Typically it is unnecessary to run Vale directly, as pre-commit automatically
+Typically, it is unnecessary to run Vale directly, as pre-commit automatically
 runs Vale on each commit. You only need to run Vale directly when iterating on
 changes to Openverse's Vale configuration.
 
-Refer to the `VALE_FILES` variable [in the justfile](./justfile) to identify
-which files we currently check with Vale. A comment on the variable explains the
+Refer to the `_files` recipe [in the `justfile`](./justfile) to identify which
+files we currently check with Vale. A comment on the recipe explains the
 rationale for that choice. The list of files will ideally expand in the future
 to include all textual content in the repository.
diff --git a/.vale/justfile b/.vale/justfile
index 3a6fcd8ce0b..5fbd468cd88 100644
--- a/.vale/justfile
+++ b/.vale/justfile
@@ -7,22 +7,17 @@ NO_COLOR := "\\033[0m"
     printf "===================={{ NO_COLOR }}\n"
     just --list --unsorted
 
-# Build a local version of `openverse-vale:local` for testing
-build:
-    docker build . -t openverse-vale:local
-
 IGNORE_FILES_PATTERN := ".pnpm|changelogs|projects/proposals|node_modules|.?venv"
 
 # This recipe generates a list of Markdown and MDX files to be processed, excluding those
 # matched by the IGNORE_FILES_PATTERN. Files are listed relative to the parent directory
 # of the current working directory. If a custom separator is specified, newlines are
 # replaced with this separator before outputting the file list.
-@files separator="\n":
+_files separator="\n":
     #! /usr/bin/env sh
     files=$(
         find "$PWD/.." -type f \( -name "*.md" -o -name "*.mdx" \) \
-            | grep -vE "{{ IGNORE_FILES_PATTERN }}" \
-            | sed "s|$PWD/../||"
+            | grep -vE "{{ IGNORE_FILES_PATTERN }}"
     )
     if [ '{{ separator }}' != '\n' ]; then
         echo "$files" | tr '\n' '{{ separator }}'
@@ -30,12 +25,18 @@ IGNORE_FILES_PATTERN := ".pnpm|changelogs|projects/proposals|node_modules|.?venv
     fi
     echo "$files"
 
-# Run Vale configured for Openverse in Docker.
-# Using Docker avoids the need for contributors to install the Vale binary.
-#Configuration defaults to what is used for CI.
-run: build
-    docker run --rm \
-        -v $PWD/..:/src:rw,Z \
-        --workdir=/src \
-        openverse-vale:local \
-        {{ "`just files`" }}
+VALE_STYLES_PATH := "/opt/.local/share/vale/styles"
+
+@_link_openverse_styles:
+    mkdir -p {{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }}
+    [ ! -L {{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }}/config ] && ln -s "$(pwd)"/styles/config {{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }}/config || true
+    [ ! -L {{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }}/Openverse ] && ln -s "$(pwd)"/styles/Openverse {{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }}/Openverse || true
+
+# Run Vale configured for Openverse.
+@run: _link_openverse_styles
+    # Ensure vale is available
+    pdm install
+    # Sync to make sure styles are up to date (this is fast if they are already synced)
+    VALE_STYLES_PATH={{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }} pdm run vale sync
+    # Run vale :)
+    VALE_STYLES_PATH={{ VALE_STYLES_PATH }} pdm run vale {{ "`just _files`" }}
diff --git a/.vale/pdm.lock b/.vale/pdm.lock
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..66af9d68357
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vale/pdm.lock
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# This file is @generated by PDM.
+# It is not intended for manual editing.
+
+[metadata]
+groups = ["default"]
+strategy = ["inherit_metadata"]
+lock_version = "4.5.0"
+content_hash = "sha256:a0a9239f1729ced61ee239a99bf78fffdf4a7c52fac089012c11b3e6efbf8e41"
+
+[[metadata.targets]]
+requires_python = "==3.12.*"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "vale"
+version = "3.7.1.0"
+requires_python = ">=3.7"
+summary = "Install and use Vale (grammar & style check tool) in python environments."
+groups = ["default"]
+files = [
+    {file = "vale-3.7.1.0-py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:3d311c11cf7e7621bf048f0898734634273ab15109ea2474ce4fc6f8778be6c8"},
+    {file = "vale-3.7.1.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:67e5474da8c3d438e0bc1f470d7d63d3d0080ad992e037dd33157536621738d1"},
+]
diff --git a/.vale/pyproject.toml b/.vale/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..64951919ff1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vale/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+[project]
+name = "openverse-vale"
+version = "0.0.0"
+description = "Openverse Vale configuration"
+authors = [
+    {name = "Openverse Contributors", email = "openverse@wordpress.org"},
+]
+dependencies = [
+    "vale>=3.7.1.0",
+]
+requires-python = "==3.12.*"
+readme = "README.md"
+license = {text = "MIT"}
+
+[tool.pdm]
+distribution = false
diff --git a/.vale/styles/Vocab/Openverse/accept.txt b/.vale/styles/Vocab/Openverse/accept.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 91d4a023bae..00000000000
--- a/.vale/styles/Vocab/Openverse/accept.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-# This matches "cliche" rulesets, but we actually use this term in earnest and with clear explanation of what we mean by it
-Decision-Making Process
-decision-making process
diff --git a/.vale/styles/config/vocabularies/Openverse/accept.txt b/.vale/styles/config/vocabularies/Openverse/accept.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..66fd6e818aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vale/styles/config/vocabularies/Openverse/accept.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Decision-Making Process
+decision-making process
diff --git a/documentation/meta/decision_making/index.md b/documentation/meta/decision_making/index.md
index e5d908b76f1..974be6b6dc7 100644
--- a/documentation/meta/decision_making/index.md
+++ b/documentation/meta/decision_making/index.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Openverse Decision-Making Process
+# Openverse decision-making process
 
 This process is loosely based on the Sociocratic "consent decision-making"
 model, but is heavily adapted for an asynchronous context. The purpose of this