Alternative Voting

Here at Eloquent American, we often discuss the growing partisan divide in this country and the negativity and gridlock caused by the two-party system. A recent Thomas Friedman column in the NY Times, A Tea Party Without Nuts, discusses an interesting solution: Alternative Voting.

One reason independent, third-party, centrist candidates can’t get elected is because if, in a three-person race, a Democrat votes for an independent, and the independent loses, the Democrat fears his vote will have actually helped the Republican win, or vice versa. Alternative voting allows you to rank the independent candidate your No. 1 choice, and the Democrat or Republican No. 2. Therefore, if the independent does not win, your vote is immediately transferred to your second choice, say, the Democrat. Therefore, you have no fear that in voting for an independent you might help elect your real nightmare — the Republican. Nothing has held back the growth of independent, centrist candidates more, said Diamond, “than the fear that if you vote for one of them you will be wasting your vote. Alternative voting, which Australia has, can overcome that.”

I think this is a very viable option, and I wish the idea would get more attention in the media. I don't see any drawbacks. What do you think?