The Culver City Democratic Club has endorsed Culver City Council candidates Meghan Sahli-Wells and Jim Clarke. They were the only two candidates to receive the required minimum of 48 votes for endorsement at last week’s meeting.

In order to participate in the forum, club rules require participants to be registered Democrats. As a register Decline-to-State, Culver City Mayor Mehaul O’Leary was not permitted to speak.

At one time, the Democratic Club allowed speakers from all parties to participate in its forum. And once in the 1970’s, the club endorsed Republican Richard Alexander, setting up a confrontation between the local club and the Democratic Central Committee of Los Angeles County. The central committee threatened to revoke the club’s charter for endorsing a Republican candidate.

Alexander, a friendly and affable gentleman who served four terms on the council including three years as Mayor, changed his registration to Democratic to avert a possible showdown.