Preferential voting is a system of voting in which voters rank candidates in order of preference. There are several synonyms for preferential voting, including ranked-choice voting, instant-runoff voting, alternative vote, and preference voting. Ranked-choice voting is commonly used in the United States, while instant-runoff voting is often used in Australia and New Zealand. Alternative vote is used in the United Kingdom, and preference voting is used in several countries including India and Sri Lanka. Regardless of the synonym used, the goal of preferential voting remains the same - to provide a fair and democratic process for electing officials and ensuring that the elected individual has the support of a majority of voters.