On November 5, voters across the country will consider a number of election-related measures. In the West, ranked-choice initiatives figure prominently. For those unfamiliar with it, ranked-choice voting can seem confusing. But Rachael Cobb, a political science professor at Suffolk University in Boston, likens it to something almost universally grasped: Shopping for ice cream. You may have your top flavor, but if that’s not there, you’ve got a backup or two that you’d also like.