diff --git a/db/queries/posts.sql b/db/queries/posts.sql
index aa22b07..626e109 100644
--- a/db/queries/posts.sql
+++ b/db/queries/posts.sql
@@ -2,7 +2,18 @@
 INSERT INTO posts (
   id, parent_id, author_id, title, body, city, post_date, hidden, created_at, updated_at
 )
-VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10);
+VALUES (
+  sqlc.arg(id),
+  sqlc.arg(parent_id),
+  sqlc.arg(author_id),
+  sqlc.arg(title),
+  sqlc.arg(body),
+  sqlc.arg(city),
+  sqlc.arg(post_date),
+  sqlc.arg(hidden),
+  sqlc.arg(created_at),
+  sqlc.arg(updated_at)
+);
 
 -- name: GetPost :one
 SELECT
@@ -10,13 +21,13 @@ SELECT
   p.title, p.body, p.city, p.post_date, p.hidden, p.created_at, p.updated_at
 FROM posts p
 JOIN users u ON u.id = p.author_id
-WHERE p.id = $1;
+WHERE p.id = sqlc.arg(id);
 
 -- name: ListPostThread :many
 WITH RECURSIVE thread AS (
   SELECT p.*
   FROM posts p
-  WHERE p.id = $1 AND p.parent_id IS NULL
+  WHERE p.id = sqlc.arg(root_id) AND p.parent_id IS NULL
 
   UNION ALL
 
@@ -35,8 +46,10 @@ ORDER BY thread.created_at, thread.id;
 
 -- name: UpdatePost :execrows
 UPDATE posts
-SET body = $2, updated_at = $3
-WHERE id = $1;
+SET
+  body = sqlc.arg(body),
+  updated_at = sqlc.arg(updated_at)
+WHERE id = sqlc.arg(id);
 
 -- name: ListRootPosts :many
 WITH RECURSIVE roots AS (
@@ -47,8 +60,9 @@ WITH RECURSIVE roots AS (
     AND p.hidden = 0
 ),
 thread AS (
-  SELECT roots.id AS root_id, roots.id AS post_id, roots.author_id
+  SELECT roots.id AS root_id, child.id AS post_id, child.author_id
   FROM roots
+  JOIN posts child ON child.parent_id = roots.id
 
   UNION ALL
 
@@ -57,15 +71,16 @@ thread AS (
   JOIN posts child ON child.parent_id = thread.post_id
 ),
 answered AS (
-  SELECT thread.root_id, bool_or(u.role = 'admin' AND thread.post_id <> thread.root_id) AS answered
+  SELECT DISTINCT thread.root_id
   FROM thread
   JOIN users u ON u.id = thread.author_id
-  GROUP BY thread.root_id
+  WHERE u.role = 'admin'
 ),
 scores AS (
-  SELECT post_id, COALESCE(SUM(value), 0)::bigint AS score
-  FROM post_votes
-  GROUP BY post_id
+  SELECT votes.post_id, SUM(votes.value)::bigint AS score
+  FROM roots
+  JOIN post_votes votes ON votes.post_id = roots.id
+  GROUP BY votes.post_id
 )
 SELECT
   roots.id, roots.parent_id, roots.author_id,
@@ -73,17 +88,15 @@ SELECT
   roots.title, roots.body, roots.city, roots.post_date,
   roots.hidden, roots.created_at, roots.updated_at,
   COALESCE(scores.score, 0)::bigint AS score,
-  COALESCE(answered.answered, false)::bool AS answered,
-  COALESCE((
-    SELECT post_votes.value
-    FROM post_votes
-    WHERE post_votes.user_id = sqlc.arg(viewer_id)
-      AND post_votes.post_id = roots.id
-  ), 0)::bigint AS user_vote
+  (answered.root_id IS NOT NULL)::bool AS answered,
+  COALESCE(viewer_vote.value, 0)::bigint AS user_vote
 FROM roots
 JOIN users u ON u.id = roots.author_id
 LEFT JOIN scores ON scores.post_id = roots.id
 LEFT JOIN answered ON answered.root_id = roots.id
+LEFT JOIN post_votes viewer_vote
+  ON viewer_vote.user_id = sqlc.arg(viewer_id)
+  AND viewer_vote.post_id = roots.id
 ORDER BY score DESC, roots.created_at, roots.id
 LIMIT sqlc.arg(row_limit);
 
@@ -91,22 +104,20 @@ LIMIT sqlc.arg(row_limit);
 SELECT EXISTS(
   SELECT 1
   FROM posts
-  WHERE id = $1 AND parent_id IS NULL AND hidden = 0
+  WHERE id = sqlc.arg(id) AND parent_id IS NULL AND hidden = 0
 )::bool;
 
 -- name: DeletePostVote :exec
 DELETE FROM post_votes
-WHERE user_id = $1 AND post_id = $2;
+WHERE user_id = sqlc.arg(user_id)
+  AND post_id = sqlc.arg(post_id);
 
 -- name: UpsertPostVoteOnVisibleRoot :execrows
 INSERT INTO post_votes (user_id, post_id, value)
-SELECT $1, $2, $3
+SELECT sqlc.arg(user_id), sqlc.arg(post_id), sqlc.arg(value)
 FROM posts p
-WHERE p.id = $2 AND p.parent_id IS NULL AND p.hidden = 0
+WHERE p.id = sqlc.arg(post_id)
+  AND p.parent_id IS NULL
+  AND p.hidden = 0
 ON CONFLICT (user_id, post_id) DO UPDATE
-SET value = excluded.value
-WHERE EXISTS (
-  SELECT 1
-  FROM posts p2
-  WHERE p2.id = excluded.post_id AND p2.parent_id IS NULL AND p2.hidden = 0
-);
+SET value = excluded.value;
diff --git a/internal/store/migrate.go b/internal/store/migrate.go
index fd5c10b..cc80253 100644
--- a/internal/store/migrate.go
+++ b/internal/store/migrate.go
@@ -104,6 +104,55 @@ ON CONFLICT (user_id, post_id) DO NOTHING`},
 	return nil
 }
 
+func migratePostVoteIndex(ctx context.Context, exec execContext) error {
+	if _, err := exec.ExecContext(ctx, `
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_post_votes_post_id
+  ON post_votes(post_id)`); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("idx_post_votes_post_id: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func migratePostDate(ctx context.Context, exec execContext) error {
+	steps := []struct {
+		name string
+		sql  string
+	}{
+		{"rename post date", `
+DO $migration$
+BEGIN
+  IF EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1
+    FROM information_schema.columns
+    WHERE table_schema = current_schema()
+      AND table_name = 'posts'
+      AND column_name = 'hunt_date'
+  ) AND NOT EXISTS (
+    SELECT 1
+    FROM information_schema.columns
+    WHERE table_schema = current_schema()
+      AND table_name = 'posts'
+      AND column_name = 'post_date'
+  ) THEN
+    ALTER TABLE posts RENAME COLUMN hunt_date TO post_date;
+  END IF;
+END
+$migration$`},
+		{"drop legacy root date index", `
+DROP INDEX IF EXISTS idx_posts_root_hunt`},
+		{"create root date index", `
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_posts_root_date
+  ON posts(post_date, hidden)
+  WHERE parent_id IS NULL`},
+	}
+	for _, step := range steps {
+		if _, err := exec.ExecContext(ctx, step.sql); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", step.name, err)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 type execContext interface {
 	ExecContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...any) (sql.Result, error)
 	QueryContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args ...any) (*sql.Rows, error)
@@ -151,6 +200,8 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS schema_migrations (
 		{"002_user_profile_columns", migrateUserProfileColumns},
 		{"003_user_email", migrateUserEmail},
 		{"004_posts", migratePosts},
+		{"005_post_vote_post_id_index", migratePostVoteIndex},
+		{"006_post_date", migratePostDate},
 	}
 	for _, m := range migrations {
 		if applied[m.version] {
diff --git a/internal/store/migrate_posts_test.go b/internal/store/migrate_posts_test.go
index b4975d2..ff23031 100644
--- a/internal/store/migrate_posts_test.go
+++ b/internal/store/migrate_posts_test.go
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ VALUES ('homeowner', 'question-1', 1);`); err != nil {
 	if err := migratePosts(ctx, conn); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("migration is not idempotent: %v", err)
 	}
+	if err := migratePostVoteIndex(ctx, conn); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := migratePostVoteIndex(ctx, conn); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post vote index migration is not idempotent: %v", err)
+	}
 
 	var postCount, voteCount, legacyQuestionCount, legacyAnswerCount int
 	if err := conn.QueryRowContext(ctx, "SELECT count(*) FROM posts").Scan(&postCount); err != nil {
@@ -120,6 +126,23 @@ VALUES ('homeowner', 'question-1', 1);`); err != nil {
 			legacyAnswerCount,
 		)
 	}
+	var postVoteIndexCount int
+	if err := conn.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+SELECT count(*)
+FROM pg_indexes
+WHERE schemaname = current_schema()
+  AND tablename = 'post_votes'
+  AND indexname = 'idx_post_votes_post_id'`).Scan(&postVoteIndexCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if postVoteIndexCount != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("post vote index count = %d, want 1", postVoteIndexCount)
+	}
+	if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, `
+INSERT INTO post_votes (user_id, post_id, value)
+VALUES ('homeowner', 'question-1', -1)`); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("duplicate user/post vote unexpectedly succeeded")
+	}
 
 	var rootParent sql.NullString
 	var rootAuthor, title, rootBody, city, postDate, rootCreated, rootUpdated string
@@ -210,6 +233,13 @@ INSERT INTO posts (
 		thread[2].ID != "follow-up" {
 		t.Fatalf("recursive thread = %+v", thread)
 	}
+	nonRootThread, err := queries.ListPostThread(ctx, "answer:question-1")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(nonRootThread) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("non-root thread lookup returned %+v", nonRootThread)
+	}
 	if n, err := queries.UpdatePost(ctx, sqlc.UpdatePostParams{
 		ID:        "follow-up",
 		Body:      "The drip continues.",
@@ -238,6 +268,60 @@ INSERT INTO posts (
 		roots[0].UserVote != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("root annotations = %+v", roots)
 	}
+
+	if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, `
+DROP INDEX idx_posts_root_date;
+ALTER TABLE posts RENAME COLUMN post_date TO hunt_date;
+CREATE INDEX idx_posts_root_hunt
+  ON posts(hunt_date, hidden)
+  WHERE parent_id IS NULL;`); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := migratePostDate(ctx, conn); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := migratePostDate(ctx, conn); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("post date migration is not idempotent: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var postDateColumnCount, huntDateColumnCount, rootDateIndexCount, legacyIndexCount int
+	if err := conn.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+SELECT
+  count(*) FILTER (WHERE column_name = 'post_date'),
+  count(*) FILTER (WHERE column_name = 'hunt_date')
+FROM information_schema.columns
+WHERE table_schema = current_schema()
+  AND table_name = 'posts'`).Scan(&postDateColumnCount, &huntDateColumnCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := conn.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+SELECT
+  count(*) FILTER (WHERE indexname = 'idx_posts_root_date'),
+  count(*) FILTER (WHERE indexname = 'idx_posts_root_hunt')
+FROM pg_indexes
+WHERE schemaname = current_schema()
+  AND tablename = 'posts'`).Scan(&rootDateIndexCount, &legacyIndexCount); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	var migratedPostDate string
+	if err := conn.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+SELECT post_date FROM posts WHERE id = 'question-1'`).Scan(&migratedPostDate); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if postDateColumnCount != 1 ||
+		huntDateColumnCount != 0 ||
+		rootDateIndexCount != 1 ||
+		legacyIndexCount != 0 ||
+		migratedPostDate != "2026-08-26" {
+		t.Fatalf(
+			"post date migration columns=%d legacy_columns=%d indexes=%d legacy_indexes=%d date=%q",
+			postDateColumnCount,
+			huntDateColumnCount,
+			rootDateIndexCount,
+			legacyIndexCount,
+			migratedPostDate,
+		)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestMigratePostsReportsStep(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/store/sqlc/posts.sql.go b/internal/store/sqlc/posts.sql.go
index c0f647a..eaf7bca 100644
--- a/internal/store/sqlc/posts.sql.go
+++ b/internal/store/sqlc/posts.sql.go
@@ -14,7 +14,18 @@ const createPost = `-- name: CreatePost :exec
 INSERT INTO posts (
   id, parent_id, author_id, title, body, city, post_date, hidden, created_at, updated_at
 )
-VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10)
+VALUES (
+  $1,
+  $2,
+  $3,
+  $4,
+  $5,
+  $6,
+  $7,
+  $8,
+  $9,
+  $10
+)
 `
 
 type CreatePostParams struct {
@@ -48,7 +59,8 @@ func (q *Queries) CreatePost(ctx context.Context, arg CreatePostParams) error {
 
 const deletePostVote = `-- name: DeletePostVote :exec
 DELETE FROM post_votes
-WHERE user_id = $1 AND post_id = $2
+WHERE user_id = $1
+  AND post_id = $2
 `
 
 type DeletePostVoteParams struct {
@@ -142,8 +154,8 @@ type ListPostThreadRow struct {
 	UpdatedAt  string
 }
 
-func (q *Queries) ListPostThread(ctx context.Context, id string) ([]ListPostThreadRow, error) {
-	rows, err := q.db.QueryContext(ctx, listPostThread, id)
+func (q *Queries) ListPostThread(ctx context.Context, rootID string) ([]ListPostThreadRow, error) {
+	rows, err := q.db.QueryContext(ctx, listPostThread, rootID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -187,8 +199,9 @@ WITH RECURSIVE roots AS (
     AND p.hidden = 0
 ),
 thread AS (
-  SELECT roots.id AS root_id, roots.id AS post_id, roots.author_id
+  SELECT roots.id AS root_id, child.id AS post_id, child.author_id
   FROM roots
+  JOIN posts child ON child.parent_id = roots.id
 
   UNION ALL
 
@@ -197,15 +210,16 @@ thread AS (
   JOIN posts child ON child.parent_id = thread.post_id
 ),
 answered AS (
-  SELECT thread.root_id, bool_or(u.role = 'admin' AND thread.post_id <> thread.root_id) AS answered
+  SELECT DISTINCT thread.root_id
   FROM thread
   JOIN users u ON u.id = thread.author_id
-  GROUP BY thread.root_id
+  WHERE u.role = 'admin'
 ),
 scores AS (
-  SELECT post_id, COALESCE(SUM(value), 0)::bigint AS score
-  FROM post_votes
-  GROUP BY post_id
+  SELECT votes.post_id, SUM(votes.value)::bigint AS score
+  FROM roots
+  JOIN post_votes votes ON votes.post_id = roots.id
+  GROUP BY votes.post_id
 )
 SELECT
   roots.id, roots.parent_id, roots.author_id,
@@ -213,17 +227,15 @@ SELECT
   roots.title, roots.body, roots.city, roots.post_date,
   roots.hidden, roots.created_at, roots.updated_at,
   COALESCE(scores.score, 0)::bigint AS score,
-  COALESCE(answered.answered, false)::bool AS answered,
-  COALESCE((
-    SELECT post_votes.value
-    FROM post_votes
-    WHERE post_votes.user_id = $1
-      AND post_votes.post_id = roots.id
-  ), 0)::bigint AS user_vote
+  (answered.root_id IS NOT NULL)::bool AS answered,
+  COALESCE(viewer_vote.value, 0)::bigint AS user_vote
 FROM roots
 JOIN users u ON u.id = roots.author_id
 LEFT JOIN scores ON scores.post_id = roots.id
 LEFT JOIN answered ON answered.root_id = roots.id
+LEFT JOIN post_votes viewer_vote
+  ON viewer_vote.user_id = $1
+  AND viewer_vote.post_id = roots.id
 ORDER BY score DESC, roots.created_at, roots.id
 LIMIT $2
 `
@@ -308,18 +320,20 @@ func (q *Queries) PostIsVisibleRoot(ctx context.Context, id string) (bool, error
 
 const updatePost = `-- name: UpdatePost :execrows
 UPDATE posts
-SET body = $2, updated_at = $3
-WHERE id = $1
+SET
+  body = $1,
+  updated_at = $2
+WHERE id = $3
 `
 
 type UpdatePostParams struct {
-	ID        string
 	Body      string
 	UpdatedAt string
+	ID        string
 }
 
 func (q *Queries) UpdatePost(ctx context.Context, arg UpdatePostParams) (int64, error) {
-	result, err := q.db.ExecContext(ctx, updatePost, arg.ID, arg.Body, arg.UpdatedAt)
+	result, err := q.db.ExecContext(ctx, updatePost, arg.Body, arg.UpdatedAt, arg.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
@@ -330,14 +344,11 @@ const upsertPostVoteOnVisibleRoot = `-- name: UpsertPostVoteOnVisibleRoot :execr
 INSERT INTO post_votes (user_id, post_id, value)
 SELECT $1, $2, $3
 FROM posts p
-WHERE p.id = $2 AND p.parent_id IS NULL AND p.hidden = 0
+WHERE p.id = $2
+  AND p.parent_id IS NULL
+  AND p.hidden = 0
 ON CONFLICT (user_id, post_id) DO UPDATE
 SET value = excluded.value
-WHERE EXISTS (
-  SELECT 1
-  FROM posts p2
-  WHERE p2.id = excluded.post_id AND p2.parent_id IS NULL AND p2.hidden = 0
-)
 `
 
 type UpsertPostVoteOnVisibleRootParams struct {
diff --git a/schema.sql b/schema.sql
index 5571cad..ff92e94 100644
--- a/schema.sql
+++ b/schema.sql
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS post_votes (
   PRIMARY KEY (user_id, post_id)
 );
 
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_post_votes_post_id
+  ON post_votes(post_id);
+
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS sessions (
   token TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
   data BYTEA NOT NULL,