diff --git a/devplacepy/static/css/feed.css b/devplacepy/static/css/feed.css
index 954e7785..603cc363 100644
--- a/devplacepy/static/css/feed.css
+++ b/devplacepy/static/css/feed.css
@@ -190,6 +190,14 @@
     color: var(--danger);
 }
 
+.post-action-btn.vote-up::before {
+    content: "+";
+}
+
+.post-action-btn.vote-down::before {
+    content: "\2212";
+}
+
 .post-action-btn.vote-up.voted {
     color: var(--accent);
     font-weight: 700;
@@ -200,6 +208,14 @@
     font-weight: 700;
 }
 
+.post-action-btn.vote-up.voted::before {
+    content: "\2295";
+}
+
+.post-action-btn.vote-down.voted::before {
+    content: "\2296";
+}
+
 .post-votes {
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
diff --git a/devplacepy/static/css/post.css b/devplacepy/static/css/post.css
index 937e99b3..043a0231 100644
--- a/devplacepy/static/css/post.css
+++ b/devplacepy/static/css/post.css
@@ -138,6 +138,14 @@
     color: var(--danger);
 }
 
+.comment-vote-btn.vote-up::before {
+    content: "+";
+}
+
+.comment-vote-btn.vote-down::before {
+    content: "-";
+}
+
 .comment-vote-btn.vote-up.voted {
     color: var(--accent);
     font-weight: 700;
@@ -148,6 +156,14 @@
     font-weight: 700;
 }
 
+.comment-vote-btn.vote-up.voted::before {
+    content: "\2295";
+}
+
+.comment-vote-btn.vote-down.voted::before {
+    content: "\2296";
+}
+
 .comment-vote-count {
     font-size: 0.75rem;
     font-weight: 700;
diff --git a/devplacepy/static/js/VoteManager.js b/devplacepy/static/js/VoteManager.js
index 2692cc3d..d44f8085 100644
--- a/devplacepy/static/js/VoteManager.js
+++ b/devplacepy/static/js/VoteManager.js
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ export class VoteManager extends OptimisticAction {
         });
         document.querySelectorAll(`form[action="${action}"] button[type="submit"]`).forEach((button) => {
             const formValue = parseInt(button.closest("form").querySelector('input[name="value"]').value, 10);
-            button.classList.toggle("voted", result.value !== 0 && formValue === result.value);
+            const isVoted = result.value !== 0 && formValue === result.value;
+            button.classList.toggle("voted", isVoted);
+            button.setAttribute("aria-pressed", String(isVoted));
         });
     }
 }
diff --git a/devplacepy/templates/CLAUDE.md b/devplacepy/templates/CLAUDE.md
index d9e5ab31..545bf028 100644
--- a/devplacepy/templates/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/devplacepy/templates/CLAUDE.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ Do NOT hand-write the overlay/header markup. Use the shared macro in `templates/
 Reuse these via `{% set _x = ... %}{% include %}` (the `_avatar_link.html` convention) instead of copy-pasting markup:
 
 - `_post_composer_form.html` - the create-post form (topic selector, content/title, project select, attachments, poll builder, footer). Locals: `_composer_topic` (preselected topic, default `random`), `_composer_project` (preselected project uid or `""`). Wrapped in the `modal()` macro by `feed.html` (Create New Post) and `project_detail.html` (owner-only Post an update, preset to `devlog` + the project). Never fork a second copy of this form.
-- `_post_votes.html` - post +/- vote bar. Locals: `_uid`, `_my_vote`, `_count`.
+- `_post_votes.html` - post +/- vote bar. Locals: `_uid`, `_my_vote`, `_count`. The +/- glyphs come from the vote CSS classes via `::before` (`feed.css` for `.post-action-btn`, `post.css` for `.comment-vote-btn`), swapping to `\u2295`/`\u2296` when `.voted` - do not put literal glyphs in markup.
 - `_star_vote.html` - project/gist star button. Locals: `_type` (`project`|`gist`), `_uid`, `_my_vote`, `_count`, `_btn_class`, optional `_stop` (adds `data-stop-propagation`). The star glyph (`☆`→`★` when `.voted`) comes from the `vote-star` CSS class via `::before` (`base.css`) - do not put a literal star in markup.
 - `_post_header.html` - post author/avatar/time header (`.post-header`). Locals: `_author`, `_time`.
 - `_topic_selector.html` - topic radio group. Locals: `_topics`, `_selected`.
@@ -89,3 +89,4 @@ The three public listings (`/feed`, `/gists`, `/projects`) share one search box:
 ## Modal pattern
 
 `Application.js` `initModals()` toggles a `.visible` CSS class on `.modal-overlay`; the CSS rule `.modal-overlay.visible { display: flex; }` handles visibility. Triggers usually have `href="#"`, so call `e.preventDefault()` in click handlers. `.modal-close` is wired generically - no inline JS needed.
+
diff --git a/devplacepy/templates/_comment.html b/devplacepy/templates/_comment.html
index 5836217e..fd19115c 100644
--- a/devplacepy/templates/_comment.html
+++ b/devplacepy/templates/_comment.html
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         <span class="comment-vote-count" data-vote-count="{{ item.comment['uid'] }}">{{ item.votes.up - item.votes.down }}</span>
         <form method="POST" action="/votes/comment/{{ item.comment['uid'] }}">
             <input type="hidden" name="value" value="-1">
-            <button type="submit" class="comment-vote-btn vote-down{% if item.my_vote == -1 %} voted{% endif %}" aria-label="Downvote" title="Downvote" aria-pressed="{% if item.my_vote == -1 %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}"{{ guest_disabled(user) }}>-</button>
+            <button type="submit" class="comment-vote-btn vote-down{% if item.my_vote == -1 %} voted{% endif %}" aria-label="Downvote" title="Downvote" aria-pressed="{% if item.my_vote == -1 %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}"{{ guest_disabled(user) }}></button>
         </form>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/devplacepy/templates/_post_votes.html b/devplacepy/templates/_post_votes.html
index 8ae3063d..c9369e77 100644
--- a/devplacepy/templates/_post_votes.html
+++ b/devplacepy/templates/_post_votes.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <span class="post-vote-count" data-vote-count="{{ _uid }}">{{ _count }}</span>
     <form method="POST" action="/votes/post/{{ _uid }}" class="inline-form">
         <input type="hidden" name="value" value="1">
-        <button type="submit" class="post-action-btn vote-up{% if _my_vote == 1 %} voted{% endif %}" aria-label="Upvote" title="Upvote" aria-pressed="{% if _my_vote == 1 %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}"{{ guest_disabled(user) }}>+</button>
+        <button type="submit" class="post-action-btn vote-up{% if _my_vote == 1 %} voted{% endif %}" aria-label="Upvote" title="Upvote" aria-pressed="{% if _my_vote == 1 %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}"{{ guest_disabled(user) }}></button>
     </form>
 </div>