Thirteen out of the fifteen candidates running for the four City Council At-Large spots faced off in a forum in the Back Bay on Tuesday night, staking out their positions on the city budget, the Boston Redevelopment Authority and busing.

The Ward 5 Democratic Committee, which co-hosted the forum with the Ward 4 Democratic Committee, afterwards immediately voted to endorse two of the candidates: John Connolly, currently serving his first term as a Councillor At-Large, and Ayanna Pressley, a former aide to U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

Connolly, who the committee endorsed in 2007, and Pressley both received 22 out of the 25 votes cast. Seventeen votes were needed for an endorsement. Stephen Murphy, serving his thirteenth year on the City Council, received the next highest total, with 14 votes.

Two candidates did not appear at the forum: Jean-Claude Sanon and Robert Fortes.

After the vote, the committee discussed tentatively scheduling a possible mayoral forum and endorsement for the second week of September.

The committee may also hold another endorsement vote after the at-large candidate field is winnowed further in the September primary, according to committee organizers.