Female officeholders greatly influence the paths taken by those considering running for office. A mail survey of female mayors and council members shows that the reticence of women to run is perceived by these officeholders as the major barrier to more women getting elected. Factors ranging from the method of electing council members to the timing of elections, length and structure of terms, council size, runoff requirements, and media coverage are not seen as major roadblocks. There also is no evidence that the prestige of the mayor's office makes it tougher for women to capture mayoral positions than council seats.
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