We are currently ruled by two parties - the Republicans and Democrats - and we must vote strategically to avoid "wasting" our vote on minor party candidates who are destined to fail. From dictionary.com: the alternative vote/instant runoff vote is "a system of voting in which voters list the candidates in order of preference. If no candidate obtains more than 50% of first-preference votes, the votes for the bottom candidate are redistributed according to the voters' next preference". This form of voting was proposed in Britain but failed due to propaganda. We would be more able to vote for the candidates we want, rather than the candidates who win.
Helpful links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3jE3B8HsE
http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/alternative-vote/