Advocates of an interesting new way to hold an election might as well use the lingo of the film industry, because the 2009 Best Picture award was chosen by 5,777 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members who ranked their choices from 1 to 10.

Since 1946 the academy ballot simply asked for the voter’s favorite among five nominees. Check one box and send it in. This year there were 10 nominations, and the academy reintroduced “preferential” balloting. Details of the run-off are not public, but we know “The Hurt Locker” was approved by at least 51 percent of voting members.

Duluth’s Ranked-Choice Voting Steering Committee welcomed the academy’s new procedure. It added weight to a growing recognition of ranked-choice voting — or RCV, sometimes also known as instant-runoff voting, or IRV — as a more fair and efficient way of conducting elections.

RCV gained another important boost last November when Minneapolis used it for the first time with impressive ease. St. Paul also has adopted it for 2011, and the system is growing in acceptance in many states and nations. It’s been working well in San Francisco since 2005 and several other U.S. cities since then. It is widely used in Australia, Ireland, Canada and other democracies around the world.

Minneapolis’ use of RCV was surveyed by St. Cloud State University. The university found voters of all ages, incomes and ethnic groups understood the system. “Easy to use,” said 95 percent of voters polled.

There would not be a need for RCV if we had only two candidates for an office. In 1948, we picked Dewey or Truman; there was no Perot or Nader to spoil a majority choice. Today in Minnesota we face decisions like Coleman-Franken-Barkley, Ventura-Coleman-Humphrey, Pawlenty-Moe-Penny or Pawlenty-Hatch-Hutchinson.

Minnesota once elected a governor with just 37 percent of the vote. The last governor elected with the backing of a majority was Arne Carlson in 1994.

Would new machines be needed for RCV? Yes, when a normal replacement time approaches, but the Minneapolis RCV election went smoothly without them. Since this was Minneapolis’ first experience with the new process, ballots were hand-counted. But new RCV-capable machines are expected for the next election in 2013. Duluth can take advantage of the availability of RCV machines when our next upgrade is due.

With instant-runoff voting in a local, nonpartisan election, there is no primary with its extra expense and limited turnout. On Election Day, voters rank their preferences: first, second, third and so on. A candidate receiving 51 percent of the votes wins. If no one meets this majority threshold, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and his or her votes are divided among the remaining candidates. This process continues until someone gets 51 percent. A similar progression takes care of elections where there are multiple seats to fill, such as with Duluth’s at-large council balloting.

In a state partisan election, primaries are still needed to elect party candidates for the general election. In these elections, RCV can be used in both the primary and again in the general election to ensure winners with broad majority support.

Ranked-choice voting gives all contenders a better opportunity to raise the tone and substance of campaigns. It upholds the principle of majority rule, giving voters a more satisfying role. It opens the way for new voices. It not only reduces the cost of elections, but the cost of campaigning.

Duluth will need a charter amendment to adopt the new system. The steering committee, led by Robert Wahman and Mary Evans, aims to have the question on next November’s ballot.

Donn Larson is a former Duluth city councilor and Charter Commission member; he was co-publisher of “The Will and the Way,” a book recounting Duluth’s recent history; and he is a member of the Duluth Ranked-Choice Voting Steering Committee.