First in a series.
Controversy continued to percolate this afternoon over the Culver City Democratic Club’s apparent penchant for bullet-voting, checking off a single name when multiple seats are at stake.
Three candidates, competing for two open seats on the School Board, were invited to Wednesday night’s Endorsement Party, but only one, Prof. Kelly Kent, was endorsed, extending a much criticized historic pattern by longtime Dem Club members.
Contenders Scott McVarish, Anne Burke and Dr. Kent all made powerhouse presentations – yet the first two did not come within a country mile of endorsement.
No accident, numerous critics said.
Before the first of two ballots, City Councilman Jim Clarke, a decades-long club member, shrewdly had urged Dem colleagues to endorse two of the three, not just one.
“Bullet voting is embarrassing,” he told the audience.
Bullet voting is stupid, Mr. Clarke said this afternoon.
Alluding to comments from the audience after the candidates left the room before the club voted, Mr. Clarke said that former Councilman Gary Silbiger “wanted to personalize the subject with respect to what happened to (his son) Karlo” in the last School Board election.
In 2013, the Dem Club, choosing from a field of six, endorsed the heavily favored Karlo Silbiger and newcomer Claudia Vizcarra. Neither came close to winning.
“Just as easily,” Mr. Clarke said, “I could personalize what happened to me in 2014 when I ran for re-election.
“I have been a member of the Democratic Club since shortly after I moved here in 1977. I clearly have a history with the club. I was vice president of the club, chairman of the County Democratic party and party secretary for the state Democratic party. So I have my Democratic credentials.”
Christopher King, a newcomer to Culver City politics, “goes and recruits a bunch of people,” Mr. Clarke said. “Those people did not necessarily live in Culver City but wanted to join the Culver City Democratic Club.
“Surprise, surprise. He gets endorsed by the club, and I barely got endorsed by one vote because all of his people bullet-voted even though there were two spots open on the Council to be voted on.
“So this seems to be the history: ‘Well, we just bullet vote.’
“That,” said Mr. Clarke, “seems stupid to me.”
(To be continued)
Ironic a politician whining about politics