if($upvote != "") { //i dont know where you get this value from
change this line to
if(isset($_GET['upvote'])&&$_GET['upvote']!=""){
$upvote=$_GET['upvote'];
//your code to update upvote
}
if(isset($_GET['downvote'])&&$_GET['downvote']!=""){
$downvote=$_GET['downvote];
//here is your code to update downvote
}