Elections & terms
ranked-choice voting
Voters rank candidates in order of preference. Last-place candidates are eliminated and their ballots transferred until someone has a majority.
In full
Also called instant-runoff voting for single-winner races. Supporters argue it removes the spoiler problem, rewards broad appeal, and avoids a separate runoff. Critics point to ballot exhaustion, where a voter's ranked candidates are all eliminated, and to added complexity in tabulation and public explanation. It is used statewide in Maine and Alaska and in many cities.
Also written as: instant-runoff voting, RCV
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.