Nobody loves strategic voting but not doing it isn't the solution. The solution is electoral reform.
If you can honestly look yourself in the mirror and say that you wouldn't prefer Mayor Smitherman over Mayor Ford, then go ahead and vote for Pantalone.
I honestly think Himy Syed might be better than all the front-runners, but I'm not going to support a candidate with less than 1% support. I'd be a fool to do so under the current system.
It's also funny, I think, how in the last week the collective 'left' have started holding Pantalone up as their principled choice for progressive values. Where the hell were they earlier in the campaign? Did they donate, volunteer on the campaign, help spread the word? Hell, back in January they were all hanging out with Giambrone at Revival, so to pretend like Pantalone is the last, best hope for progressivism in this city is madness.