Christal Wood for Seattle Mayor

Imagine how much easier it would be to make a first, second, and third choice in an election, versus having to choose one among who one may think is the "lesser of two evils." The latter is where we find ourselves, but among the election alternatives, Instant Run-off Voting or "IRV" is the most plausible.

Under this system, voters rank candidates from their first to last choice. If no candidate receives a majority of top-choice votes, the candidate receiving the fewest number of votes is automatically eliminated, and his or her votes are reassigned to the voter's second choice.

This system would eliminate expensive runoff elections. But third-party and independent candidates would also benefit, as it would level the playing field. No longer would people view a vote for their conscience as a wasted vote.

I support IRV for the benefits it affords voters as well as candidates.

For more information about IRV, check out FairVote.org