I’m not sure to what degree the download or print metrics play into the decisions. My first upload and first contest entry was for the Mother’s Day contest. I didn’t place in any of the positions but still had more downloads and prints than the first place winner. The second place winner smoked us all several times over. (I had no expectations, mind you, this was my first try at any of this.)
Perhaps the metrics play some role, but the metrics alone didn’t drive the winners list. If they had any significant bearing, the second place winner would have taken first.
Maybe if you gathered ten people in a room with a table of 50 pre-printed entries and without foreknowledge of who designed what and what was trending… maybe they chose their favorites and that was that. I have no idea.
But I do believe the judging process is more personal than just sorting in favorites order.