Ranked choice voting is the way to go

I heartily agree with the reader who encourages us in Maryland to institute the system of ranked choice voting (“Md. should implement ranked choice voting,” Sept. 11), and I encourage citizens to make that suggestion to their state legislators who, from my experience, are very responsive and are receiving our messages in “offseason.” Maine and Alaska use this system for federal offices and seven other states do so for municipal or judicial elections.

It appears to be the most democratic system that we know, and it simply means that we all can vote for and prioritize two or more choices for each office. If no candidate for a specific office acquires 50% or more of the votes on the first ballot, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes is dropped and the second choices on his or her ballots are given to the higher-ranked candidates. This continues until someone arrives at 50% of the votes cast.

The method means that the winner should be the person that the majority of voters prefers. It also avoids the expense of a runoff election.

— Marilyn Carlisle, Baltimore