diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 2e7dc4e3..2170de4b 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ edition = "2021"
 twilight-gateway = "0.11.0"
 twilight-http = "0.11.0"
 twilight-model = "0.11.2"
-twilight-util = { version = "0.11.0", features = ["builder"] }
+twilight-util = { version = "0.11.0", features = ["builder", "snowflake"] }
 twilight-interactions = "0.11.0"
 twilight-error = "0.11.4"
 twilight-mention = "0.11.0"
diff --git a/sqlx-data.json b/sqlx-data.json
index c20c6640..be8de52d 100644
--- a/sqlx-data.json
+++ b/sqlx-data.json
@@ -2547,6 +2547,50 @@
     },
     "query": "INSERT INTO overrides\n            (id, guild_id, name, starboard_id)\n            VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4)\n            RETURNING *"
   },
+  "f593aa1cbdba23466e32e06ffbd59144e044dfad3f355cdb385b6941d28580ea": {
+    "describe": {
+      "columns": [
+        {
+          "name": "user_id",
+          "ordinal": 0,
+          "type_info": "Int8"
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "is_bot",
+          "ordinal": 1,
+          "type_info": "Bool"
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "credits",
+          "ordinal": 2,
+          "type_info": "Int4"
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "donated_cents",
+          "ordinal": 3,
+          "type_info": "Int8"
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "patreon_status",
+          "ordinal": 4,
+          "type_info": "Int2"
+        }
+      ],
+      "nullable": [
+        false,
+        false,
+        false,
+        false,
+        false
+      ],
+      "parameters": {
+        "Left": [
+          "Int8"
+        ]
+      }
+    },
+    "query": "SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=$1"
+  },
   "f82801c420e139303f7a931b601b5d95be61de8607350bbd7d2c9729723623e9": {
     "describe": {
       "columns": [
diff --git a/src/core/starboard/reaction_events.rs b/src/core/starboard/reaction_events.rs
index ec2d9325..226b31a2 100644
--- a/src/core/starboard/reaction_events.rs
+++ b/src/core/starboard/reaction_events.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
-use twilight_model::gateway::payload::incoming::{
-    ReactionAdd, ReactionRemove, ReactionRemoveAll, ReactionRemoveEmoji,
+use twilight_model::{
+    gateway::payload::incoming::{
+        ReactionAdd, ReactionRemove, ReactionRemoveAll, ReactionRemoveEmoji,
+    },
+    id::Id,
 };
 
 use crate::{
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ pub async fn handle_reaction_add(
     }
 
     let orig_msg = Message::get_original(&bot.pool, unwrap_id!(event.message_id)).await?;
-    let orig_msg = match orig_msg {
+    let (orig_msg, author_is_bot) = match orig_msg {
         None => {
             // author data
             let (author_is_bot, author_id) = {
@@ -81,18 +84,34 @@ pub async fn handle_reaction_add(
             ))?;
 
             match orig {
-                Some(msg) => msg,
-                None => Message::get(&bot.pool, unwrap_id!(event.message_id))
-                    .await?
-                    .unwrap(),
+                Some(msg) => (msg, author_is_bot),
+                None => {
+                    let msg = Message::get(&bot.pool, unwrap_id!(event.message_id))
+                        .await?
+                        .unwrap();
+                    (msg, author_is_bot)
+                }
             }
         }
-        Some(msg) => msg,
+        Some(msg) => {
+            let user = User::get(&bot.pool, msg.author_id).await?.unwrap();
+            (msg, user.is_bot)
+        }
     };
 
     let configs = StarboardConfig::list_for_channel(bot, guild_id, event.channel_id).await?;
-    let status =
-        VoteStatus::get_vote_status(bot, &emoji, configs, event.message_id, event.channel_id).await;
+    let status = VoteStatus::get_vote_status(
+        bot,
+        &emoji,
+        configs,
+        Id::new(event.user_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig_msg.message_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig_msg.channel_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig_msg.author_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        author_is_bot,
+        None,
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     match status {
         VoteStatus::Ignore => Ok(()),
@@ -172,12 +191,22 @@ pub async fn handle_reaction_remove(
         None => return Ok(()),
         Some(orig) => orig,
     };
+    let author = User::get(&bot.pool, orig.author_id).await?.unwrap();
 
     let emoji = SimpleEmoji::from(event.emoji.clone());
     let configs = StarboardConfig::list_for_channel(bot, guild_id, event.channel_id).await?;
-    let status =
-        VoteStatus::get_vote_status(&bot, &emoji, configs, event.message_id, event.channel_id)
-            .await;
+    let status = VoteStatus::get_vote_status(
+        &bot,
+        &emoji,
+        configs,
+        Id::new(event.user_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig.message_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig.channel_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        Id::new(orig.author_id.try_into().unwrap()),
+        author.is_bot,
+        None,
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     match status {
         VoteStatus::Valid((upvote, downvote)) => {
diff --git a/src/core/starboard/vote_status.rs b/src/core/starboard/vote_status.rs
index 2b44acb5..f0f1275a 100644
--- a/src/core/starboard/vote_status.rs
+++ b/src/core/starboard/vote_status.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 //! tool for checking if a vote is valid
 
+use std::time::{SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH};
+
 use twilight_model::id::{
-    marker::{ChannelMarker, MessageMarker},
+    marker::{ChannelMarker, MessageMarker, UserMarker},
     Id,
 };
+use twilight_util::snowflake::Snowflake;
 
-use crate::{client::bot::StarboardBot, core::emoji::SimpleEmoji};
+use crate::{
+    client::bot::StarboardBot,
+    core::{emoji::SimpleEmoji, has_image::has_image},
+    errors::StarboardResult,
+};
 
 use super::config::StarboardConfig;
 
@@ -18,12 +25,29 @@ pub enum VoteStatus {
 
 impl VoteStatus {
     pub async fn get_vote_status(
-        _bot: &StarboardBot,
+        bot: &StarboardBot,
         emoji: &SimpleEmoji,
         configs: Vec<StarboardConfig>,
-        _message_id: Id<MessageMarker>,
-        _channel_id: Id<ChannelMarker>,
-    ) -> VoteStatus {
+        reactor_id: Id<UserMarker>,
+        message_id: Id<MessageMarker>,
+        channel_id: Id<ChannelMarker>,
+        message_author_id: Id<UserMarker>,
+        message_author_is_bot: bool,
+        message_has_image: Option<bool>,
+    ) -> StarboardResult<VoteStatus> {
+        let message_has_image = match message_has_image {
+            Some(val) => Some(val),
+            None => match bot
+                .cache
+                .fog_message(&bot, channel_id, message_id)
+                .await?
+                .value()
+            {
+                Some(msg) => Some(has_image(&msg.embeds, &msg.attachments)),
+                None => None,
+            },
+        };
+
         let mut invalid_exists = false;
         let mut allow_remove = true;
 
@@ -50,7 +74,51 @@ impl VoteStatus {
             }
 
             // check settings
-            // TODO
+            let is_valid;
+
+            // settings to check:
+            // - self_vote
+            // - allow_bots
+            // - require_image
+            // - older_than
+            // - newer_than
+            // alow need to check permroles
+
+            let message_age: i64 = {
+                let now = SystemTime::now()
+                    .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .as_millis();
+                let created_at = message_id.timestamp();
+
+                ((now - created_at as u128) / 1000).try_into().unwrap()
+            };
+            let older_than = config.resolved.older_than;
+            let newer_than = config.resolved.newer_than;
+
+            if !config.resolved.self_vote && reactor_id == message_author_id {
+                // self-vote
+                is_valid = false;
+            } else if !config.resolved.allow_bots && message_author_is_bot {
+                // allow-bots
+                is_valid = false;
+            } else if config.resolved.require_image && !matches!(message_has_image, Some(true)) {
+                // require-image
+                is_valid = false;
+            } else if older_than != 0 && message_age < older_than {
+                // older-than
+                is_valid = false;
+            } else if newer_than != 0 && message_age > newer_than {
+                // newer-than
+                is_valid = false;
+            } else {
+                is_valid = true;
+            }
+
+            if !is_valid {
+                invalid_exists = true;
+                continue;
+            }
 
             // add to corresponding list
             if is_downvote {
@@ -61,12 +129,12 @@ impl VoteStatus {
         }
         if upvote.is_empty() && downvote.is_empty() {
             if invalid_exists && allow_remove {
-                VoteStatus::Remove
+                Ok(VoteStatus::Remove)
             } else {
-                VoteStatus::Ignore
+                Ok(VoteStatus::Ignore)
             }
         } else {
-            VoteStatus::Valid((upvote, downvote))
+            Ok(VoteStatus::Valid((upvote, downvote)))
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/database/models/user.rs b/src/database/models/user.rs
index f6a3e473..7779409b 100644
--- a/src/database/models/user.rs
+++ b/src/database/models/user.rs
@@ -23,4 +23,10 @@ impl User {
         .await
         .map_err(|e| e.into())
     }
+
+    pub async fn get(pool: &sqlx::PgPool, user_id: i64) -> sqlx::Result<Option<Self>> {
+        sqlx::query_as!(Self, "SELECT * FROM users WHERE user_id=$1", user_id,)
+            .fetch_optional(pool)
+            .await
+    }
 }