Vote system and hot list

I don't have a plan yet. I'm just laying out the data.There are 3 threads that I want to call attention to.

Rank 5 hot list, 23 hours old, +8 vote, 16 comments, 376 views https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/player-behavior-moderation/gNJwW9Mm-honor-penalties-were-too-harsh-ya-think

Rank 38 hot list, 1 day old, +1 vote, 0 comments, 38 views https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/player-behavior-moderation/pXcvMZ5z-a-different-point-of-view

No hot list, 23 hours old, -10 votes, 59 comments, 374 views https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/player-behavior-moderation/OV9yKyp6-its-official-the-trolls-have-won

Keep in mind, the threads that are on the hot list recieve more advertising than the down voted thread.

Considering the circumstances, the down voted thread should be on the hot list. The down voted thread has more comments, and views, while having less advertising, than the rank 38 thread of the hot list.

I assume the down voted thread is not on the hot list because it was down voted. What does a down vote mean?

I looked in the Universsal Rules. There is no mention of vote. I read the boards user guide. No mention of vote.

So actually, I'm a little confused on what this vote is meant to achieve.

I assume the main idea is people up vote threads they want others to see, then down vote threads they don't want others to see.

That doesn't sound awful. Except, I don't need other people to tell me what I am interested in. The vote count does not change the subject of the thread.

Personally, I use the thread title and the mouse over preview to determine whether I am interested.

This means, if I am interested I will view the thread. If I am passionate, I will comment the thread.

If I am not interested, I will not view the thread. If I am not passionate, I will not comment the thread.

The threads with the most comments and views are the most popular. We don't need the vote system. We have already voted.

However, what a vote can do is provide a non obtrusive "bump". Show passion without commenting on the thread. Isn't a vote just a stream lined comment? Instead of saying, "I agree", we "+1". Instead of saying, "i disagree", we "-1".

With that line of thinking, I think the problem is not with the vote system. The problem is with the hot list and it's reaction to down votes. The hot list should not discriminate between up votes and down votes. All votes should be treated equally.