Council race:

City Clerk's Race

Note: Due to an accident with the Sunkist Pk votes-- which spilled onto culver Blvd. on election night -- there may be challenges to the final vote.

Over 600 well wishers and members of the Culver City community turned out for a fundraiser last Saturday night to return Albert Vera to the Culver City Council.

Local and State-wide government officials, business and community leaders and other VIPs also turned out in force to show their support for Vera

State Senator Kevin Murray (D-26) praised Vera for being a tough advocate for Culver City. "I know," he said, "I’ve gotten some blood on me to prove it."

LA County District Attorney Steve Cooley welcomed the crowd and told how he was introduced to Vera by a member of the Culver City Police Department. Cooley was invited to the Sorrento Market to get a meatball sandwich, he said, and has been getting his lunch there for years since. He commended Vera as a man "of the people and for the people."

State Assemblyman Herb Wesson (D-46) newly elected as speaker of the House gave an emotional plea to support Vera. "You don’t trade a proven old friend for an unproven new one," Wesson said

Former city council member Sandra Levin, proudly displaying her new infant daughter, spoke of her four years in the council with Vera. "Albert always had a unique perspective, and he always said what was on his mind, she recalled. "When everyone was thinking short term, Albert thought things through; he thought of the consequences 30 years ahead."

Vera's onetime colleague on city council, former Mayor Ed Wolkowitz was on hand to endorse Vera, as were former Councilmember Dr. Jim Boulgarides and former mayor and current DMV Director Steve Gourley. One of the open seats in the council race belongs to Wolkowitz who will be stepping down this year after serving two terms.

Councilmember member Carol Gross energetically emceed the event and said she was looking forward to working on the council with Vera.

The high-energy event included music, a silent auction, a drawing for some 60 prizes, and of course food, drink and those irresistible desserts of cannolies, cream horns and other Italian delights provided by Sorrento Italian Market.
The party was planned and hosted by Sequoia Productions of Culver City.