Yes. I can't speak for all but a lot of these guys have developed complimentary sites and D.Apps to help grow this community and make us all more profitable. You can vote for anyone you want if I'm not mistaken. Witnesses build the blockchain. Witness/Whales don't support our content directly but the work I've seen the ones I have voted for do so far, surpasses the value of all the content I've added to this community so far.  A Steemian vet can better expound on this subject