Moreover, he said, the mayoral campaign will further discourage candidates.

The possession of such excess funds may discourage otherwise viable candidates from a primary or general election challenge.

There is a stigma attached to skilled technical careers that has discouraged likely candidates from entering these fields.

They say it has discouraged strong candidates from running for legislative seats.

The very thought of tramping endlessly around Iowa also discourages better-known candidates.

And while supposedly opening the way for fresh blood, term limits could also discourage potential candidates who see public service as a professional calling.

A contract of less than two years might discourage potential candidates for the $150,000 a year job.

Critics of the state's election laws have long attacked them for discouraging both voters and potential candidates from participating.

For three days, the Council has been conducting rounds of informal polling in which members only "encourage" or "discourage" candidates.

The possibility that these elections will not be fair and transparent discourages candidates from participating in the process.