Down votes don’t count towards total “karma” for better or worse, but reflect public opinion well. In that I do not feel they are without merit.

Sometimes a down vote is looking out for others as well. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:3-4

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Lev 19:17 (ESV) says, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.” 

“Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.” ‭‭2 John‬ ‭1:11‬ ‭

Not making the case you have to downvote, by any means please continue to vote your conscious. I offer these scriptures in support of a case for the merits of well considered downvote usage. They don’t harm, though emotionally sorrow may result. They can make a stern statement of public response. Or even attest to a limited disagreement.

“I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭7:8-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:31-32‬ ‭NLT‬‬