We are the only modern nation that uses a First Past The Post voting system. All other modern western countries use Ranked Choice voting.
This would immediately ensure no vote is “thrown out” when voting for a third-party or independent candidate.
Another option, which is mathematically an improvement over Ranked Choice voting, is Rated Voting.
We could be the first to try this system. It is similar to Ranked Choice voting, but has a few advantages over it that have been mathematically proven.
At any rate, first past the post is antiquated and needs to be replaced.