Can a html button perform a POST request?

This can be done with an input element of a type "submit". This will appear as a button to the user and clicking the button will send the form.

<form action="" method="post">
    <input type="submit" name="upvote" value="Upvote" />
</form>

You need to give the button a name and a value.

No control can be submitted without a name, and the content of a button element is the label, not the value.

<form action="" method="post">
    <button name="foo" value="upvote">Upvote</button>
</form>

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