Switch to a ranked-voting system, but put provisions in place that ensure rural and suburban America still have equal representation and ability to have their interests catered to compared to the big populated cities

Absolutely, a ranked-voting system could potentially address the problem of 'wasted votes.' For instance, in Maine, they've implemented ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank candidates by preference. This ensures that the candidate with the broadest appeal wins, rather than just the candidate with the most fanatical base.

It's interesting though, how should we go about ensuring that rural and suburban areas are not overshadowed by populous urban centers in this system?