Your report on the L.A. elections ("Rivals Keeping Big Stick at Hand," Feb. 22) was depressing. Once again, I, the average Los Angeles citizen and taxpayer, have little say in the mayoral election. I am being forced to choose between a favored but destined-to-lose candidate, i.e., one who doesn't have enough money to get his/her message out there, and a front-running candidate whom I don't like nearly as much.
When will Los Angeles reach the civilized levels of San Francisco, Australia and other places that allow their citizens to rank their choices in order of their preference? It's such a simple concept. If L.A. had ranked voting or, as it is sometimes called, instant runoff voting, in place now, I could vote for my preferred candidate and also for my second choice and third. I would feel enfranchised and the city would save hundreds of thousands of dollars by not having to fund a separate runoff vote.
