The state's political parties sowed the wind of voter resentment when they got our beloved blanket primary thrown out.

The parties have yet to reap the whirlwind, but Pierce County voters kicked up a little dust devil on Election Day.

They approved a charter amendment that eliminates the primary election for most county offices in favor of a winner-take-all November instant runoff election.

The new process is to go into effect in 2008.

The county won't be the first entity in the country to use instant runoff, but it will be the largest.

American democracy has been called the great experiment, and small experiments can and should be part of it. We wish Pierce County well.