Applications

I suggest we only let Staff members vote on Moderator applications. The majority of members seem only to give input if it's a friends application, which they usually blindly +1...

There is some good with that, but also staff can not always know every player in game.
Also other forum-active players are offered a chance to -1 if they think somebody is incapable of administrative duty or moderation based on the things people do beahind admins back (and belive me they do).

--EDIT--

On a sidenote, even if it is not ethicly right, some of "random" or "friend" +1 can be ignored, but not if 3+ members upvote, because you must be at least have good people skills to make friens in game, as for ability to administrate/moderate, you can always rely on publicity to scream at every wrong/ish turn from the staff.

Good point.

Other peoples opinions are good, but I tend to only take a look (and take seriously) staff members votes anyway.