A direct election limits their power of patronage and stifles their own prospects, especially in long-standing one-party boroughs.
Complicated rules were promulgated just before the election limiting the size of candidate photos, and the banners and fliers that can be used.
On his Web site, Mr. Moussavi complained of increasing pressure to accept the results of the election, limited communication with his supporters and attempts to block his Web site.
Instead, the true target turned out to be charities who now feel the chill of the acts's ban on campaigning in the year before an election, limiting what they can spend on issues such as climate change, child poverty, fracking, hunting or housing.
Instead, the gift or loan is considered a contribution from the donor to the campaign, subject to the per-election limit and reportable by the campaign.
Putin has ruled out the possibility of holding new free and fair elections; limits have been placed on gubernatorial elections, and electoral bloc building has been banned.
But he stopped short of calling for free and fair elections, limiting his remarks to a request for Mr. Mubarak to address the grievances of the Egyptian people.
Comfort Ero is the Africa programme director for the International Crisis Group, whose most recent Nigeria report is Nigeria's Dangerous 2015 Elections: Limiting the Violence.
One of the most polemical articles in the final draft reversed a plan to allow Mr. Morales to indefinitely run for re-election, limiting him to one five-year term if he wins a new election later this year.
A complete overhaul of campaign finance laws, including a move to public financing of elections, limiting contributions to party "housekeeping" accounts, closing other loopholes and giving the attorney general jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute violations.
