A great many people feel torn or disenfranchised when it comes to choosing politicians-- myself included. Many, many elections come down to true ideology at war with prudence. The electorate wants to feel as though they voted with their hearts and souls, and if their dream wasn't realized, they wouldn't be risking an election. 

Ranked-choice voting manages to preserve the integrity of the voter's true feelings, while also allowing for safety fallbacks. A voter can be idealistic and proactive, while also feeling that they are acting in a practical way. These emotions need not be mutually exclusive. At a time where the whole country suffers when people do not feel impassioned enough to make it to the ballot box (voter disenfranchisement, gerrymandering, and other troubles aside), this could be the method that finally drives people to actually believe---even trust--- that they can make a difference. With a great candidate field, a voter could happily list multiple favorites and feel like they did not have to compromise. With a more lackluster field, a voter will feel like their idealism can remain intact if they are voting for any candidate reluctantly. This is so important for boosting the morale of the electorate. We need that morale boosted, big-time.

In these times, many are despairing. We should not gamble with people's hope. I believe the implementation of ranked-choice voting in California is a small but crucial step in invigorating our democracy before it withers in the hands of tyrants.

Thank you kindly for reading, and I hope you are all well and safe.