Dave Updegraff in The Duluth News Tribune:

There are bills pending in St. Paul about ranked-choice voting. This, at the most fundamental level, is recognition that back here in the real world “second best” is not the same as “worst.” Contrary to what the sincere and passionate boosters of candidates might claim, things are generally not all or nothing. “All or-nothing” results in the kind of polarization we see.

Like you, I have a favorite choice. But if my first choice is not possible, there’s a second or even third choice. I’d rather not throw away all my preferences because I couldn’t get my first choice.

Think of the ideas, voices, and people we might hear from if candidates and voters all knew you could freely vote for your preferences without the current risk of a “wasted vote.” All the middle-roads we currently never hear from.

Let’s make a better, more-representative, and more-open democracy. Lets not be so afraid of change that we daren’t even try to fix the broken. Let your representatives know.

Dave Updegraff

Duluth

For more about ranked-choice voting, the writer recommends fairvotemn.org/faq.