Democratic presidential nominee hopefuls in the Gertrude Stein straw poll include, from left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Gov. Martin O’Malley. (Washington Blade photo of Sanders and O’Malley by Michael Key; Blade photo of Clinton by Damien Salas)

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest partisan LGBT political group, plans to conduct a presidential straw poll among its members on Feb. 16, club officials announced at the group’s regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 11.

Stein President Earl Fowlkes said as many as 300 members will likely cast their votes for one of the three main candidates seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, including Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Fowlkes said the club will waive its requirement that people must be a member of the club at least 60 days prior to a club vote on an endorsement or the election of officers. He said the waiver will allow people to join the club on the day of the straw poll, which will take place during a D.C. election candidate petition signing party organized by the club.

Stein Vice President for Administration Martin Garcia said the petitions would be for candidates running for local D.C. offices, including seats on the City Council, who must obtain signatures from registered voters to be placed on the ballot. Garcia said representatives of the three Democratic presidential candidates have been invited to speak at the event before the voting for the straw poll begins.