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This is similar to Should we allow downvotes on Meta feature-requests if they just don't *like* the *feature*?, but that question was (incorrectly) closed as a duplicate of Encouraging people to explain downvotes and Down-voting on questions - Require a comment below a certain rep?. Additionally, I feel this question could be more clearly asked (or I misunderstood it).

What is the significance of an upvote or downvote on a ?

Like the rest of SE, the title text for upvote is

This question shows research effort; it is useful and clear

For a downvote,

This question does not show any research effort; it is unclear or not useful

But for feature requests, some believe that an upvote means

I agree with this feature suggestion

and that a downvote means

I disagree with this feature suggestion

These seem quite different to me. When I see a feature request that is well researched, clear, and perhaps even useful (in that it is valid, and a reasonably good idea), but with which I ultimately firmly disagree, should I vote it down?

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This is answered (emphasis original):

Voting is different on meta.

...

Unlike normal Stack Exchange sites, Meta invites the community to discuss, debate and propose changes to the way the community itself behaves, as well as how the software itself works. On posts tagged feature-request, voting indicates agreement or disagreement with the proposed change rather than just the quality or usefulness of the post itself.

Thanks to @hims056 and @Mat for pointing that out. It turns out to be surprisingly difficult find "meta meta" answers with a search engine :P

A different title tip would make this far more clear.

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    I despise that line. That's a really dumbed down way of explaining what you're doing. You should be voting on whether or not you think the feature being requested would be useful. That just happens to coincide with (dis)agreement most of the time.
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented May 5, 2014 at 12:44
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    Agreement with the request != thinking the requested feature would be useful?
    – Kyle Strand
    Commented May 5, 2014 at 15:04
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    I still don't agree with this "rule". It's especially jarring to newcomers who post something that happens to be a rehash of a years-old discussion, and before they know it they've been downvoted to oblivion. "Welcome to Meta! We don't bite, but we downvote like crazy!"
    – mmyers
    Commented May 5, 2014 at 15:41
  • @mmyers, yes I was a bit surprised when I found this out too.
    – Paul Draper
    Commented May 5, 2014 at 17:05

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