No matter how tired and dishonest the claims when it comes to ranked-choice voting, opponents will haul them out time and again to conjure up fear and confusion among voters. (This is in response to the op-ed posted at duluthnewstribune.com on Nov. 26, headlined, "With Maine opting for ranked-choice voting, are Minnesota and others to follow?")

Some critics of ranked-choice claim voters can't count from one to five (especially seniors or people of color) or can't learn about more than two candidates for local races because it would be too confusing and hard. That's not only untrue; it's insulting and paternalistic.

You also might hear the common argument that "other, more experienced" candidates have to compete with new and "inexperienced" candidates that haven't been vetted by a party or primary system. They will fail to mention that the current system has, for the most part, kept women and people of color woefully underrepresented for far too long. And it keeps talented people from throwing their hat in the ring.

So when you hear these so-called "facts," don't believe them. Instead, dare to look past the fearmongering to see what's really there: personal political agendas and people threatened by change. We know there are some elected officials who will resist change in our electoral system even when that change is consistent with our community's deep commitment to social justice.

The true facts about ranked-choice voting actually tell an overwhelmingly positive story. For example, cities that use the voting method consistently elect more diverse leaders, including women, transgender people, and people of color. In my book, more diverse leadership is better leadership because it reflects all of us, and no one group or sector has the corner on good ideas.

Interest in ranked-choice voting is growing in our state and nationwide. It is used in many cities across the country, including Minneapolis and St. Paul, and it will be used for the first time in St. Louis Park, Minn., in 2019. Maine has now demonstrated that ranked-choice voting can be used statewide.

All of this should reassure you that, despite bogus claims to the contrary, ranked-choice voting is simple to understand and use. In fact, 92 percent of Minneapolis' diverse voters have said so.

Most importantly, ranked-choice voting encourages higher voter inclusion and participation in our government and reduces polarization.

Bottom line? When confronted with anti-ranked-choice voting propaganda, exercise your own critical thinking to consider the source. We need leaders with the courage to change and improve our system for the betterment of all, not status-quo protectors who resist change and use misinformation to confuse and mislead voters.

Liz Johnson of Duluth is an employee of FairVote MN (fairvotemn.org), which advocates for ranked-choice voting.