A candidate or contender — a person or item considered as a choice or prospect (e.g., 候補者, 第一候補).
市長選の有力な候補が次々と名乗りを上げた。
Strong candidates for the mayoral election announced their runs one after another.
入賞作品の候補を委員会が選出した。
The committee selected candidates for the award-winning works.
第一候補の名前が発表された。
The name of the top candidate was announced.
Candidacy or nomination — the state of being a candidate or being nominated.
彼の名前が取締役候補として挙がった。
His name was put forward as a candidate for director.
公募に応募して、一次選考で候補に残った。
I applied to the public recruitment and remained a candidate after the first screening.