The system of electing city council members that allows voters to rank candidates is called the _________ system.

The system of electing city council members that allows voters to rank candidates is known as preferential voting. This voting method enables individuals to express their preferences by ranking candidates in order of choice rather than selecting just one. When using this approach, if no candidate receives an outright majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and the votes for that candidate are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the voters' subsequent preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority, ensuring that the elected representative has broader support among voters.

Preferential voting is particularly useful in elections with multiple candidates because it can reduce the impact of vote-splitting and allows for more nuanced choice expression from the electorate, often leading to outcomes that better reflect the collective preferences of the voting population.