Tuesday, May 18 may not mark as monumental or far-reaching a ballot day as that of a year and a half ago, but there’s still plenty about the 2010 primary that has the potential for change.

Just Out asks the questions important to you, runs down the major races and looks to the future of the vote.

With the May 18 primary elections right around the corner, and with all registered voters in possession of mail-in ballots, the pressure is on to familiarize yourself with a bevy of candidates seeking to represent you.

Among the primary elections to be held this year are each of Oregon’s five congressional seats, one U.S. Senate seat, state governor, state treasurer, all of the seats in the Oregon State House of Representatives, and one half of the Oregon State Senate. Every voice matters, and every vote counts.

Just Out contacted the three major 2010 gubernatorial candidates for their stances on important issues facing Oregon’s LGBTQ community. Their responses follow. – Ryan J. Prado

I have always stood for the advancement of equal rights for LGBTQ Oregonians. As a representative from the rural South Coast in the early 1980s, I voted for early legislation to end discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation. I actively fought Measure 9 in 1992. More recently, I spoke out against anti-gay efforts in Uganda at the Respect Humanity March and Rally this past January. I will continue to be an advocate for LGBTQ rights as governor.

As governor, I will support legislation that protects the rights of the LGBTQ community and of all Oregonians.

I will defend the Oregon Equality Act and the Oregon Family Fairness Act from any attempts to repeal them or weaken key protections for LGBTQ Oregonians.

I will support any effort to repeal Measure 36.

Because with education comes understanding, my plan to fully fund education at the Quality Education Model level is important for the LGBTQ community. In particular, this additional funding will enable our schools to increase education about the LGBTQ community. I will also work to increase the number of qualified members of the LGBTQ community that are placed within my administration.

I will work to see LGBTQ small businesses are provided the support they need to employ Oregonians and grow our economy. They will be key beneficiaries of my proposal for a state Bank of Oregon.

Yes. I understand the importance of this type of legislation and would support it.

How would you prioritize continued funding for important social services related to Oregon’s LGBTQ community?

Ensuring continued funding for important social services for the LGBTQ community is a priority.

As many know, Oregon is facing another budget shortfall this coming biennium. Some estimate this to be as high as $2.5 billion. I have three key priorities that I will protect from budget cuts:

1. Jobs and economic development
2. Education
3. Services for our most vulnerable citizens

Protecting vital social services in an economic downturn is absolutely key to our state remaining a place for all Oregonians, not just the most wealthy. Those without a social, economic or family safety net are the most vulnerable in an economic downturn, and it is the moral responsibility of the state to ensure they have basic services to survive.

I feel people should be able to consummate their relationship, regardless of their sexual orientation. For this reason, I am a strong supporter of marriage equality, and I believe the right to marriage should be extended to members of the LGBTQ community. I will take an active role in fighting to repeal Measure 36. I will use the bully pulpit of the governor’s office to make clear, in no uncertain terms, that the freedom to marry regardless of sexual orientation is an Oregon value.

Early in my legislative career—while representing a socially conservative district in Southern Oregon—I supported legislation that prohibited discrimination in housing based upon, among other things, sexual orientation. It was not an easy vote from a political standpoint, but it was an important vote for equal rights. Since that day, I have felt a real sense of continuing purpose in supporting [the] rights of the LGBTQ community and the object lesson I learned about standing up for what is right carries with me today.

As a candidate in 1994 and as governor, I led on issues to advance the equal treatment of all Oregonians under the law regardless of sexual orientation. When anti-LGBTQ activist Lon Mabon was pushing Measure 13, my voice was with the community in our successful defeat of it. As governor, I will respond vigorously to acts of hate and discrimination; and will be in regular communication with Oregon LGBTQ leaders to advance the cause of equal rights through legislation and executive action. This framework for leadership applies across the spectrum of issues from same sex marriage; to non-discrimination in the workplace; to reducing the incidence of teen suicide and school dropout—and it applies to health care services and in having the opportunity to assume responsibility for a sick or hospitalized committed partner.

I support coverage for these services and believe they should be considered in the prioritization process established in the Oregon Health Plan. As you know, I have a long-standing interest in health policy, expanding access and controlling costs. Part of this strategy includes “value-based cost sharing” in which co-payments and deductibles are used not just to shift cost to individuals, but to create incentives to purchase high value care from a health standpoint. For example, there should be little or no cost-sharing (fully paid benefits) for those services that are effective in improving health; with more cost-sharing for those health services that are less effective. I believe that all health services—in both the public and private sectors—should be viewed within this general framework.

I have a record of supporting these services, but they need to be viewed in the context of the $2.5 billion dollar budget hole we face in the upcoming biennium. And while I will continue to support them, I cannot unequivocally commit that these services will completely escape from the threat of budget reductions facing all other states services next year. This will be a challenging period, and I hope the LGBTQ community will apply its skill and talent to support the transformative changes we must make in delivering education, health care, and other social services while we seek to improve our overall economic environment.

The LGBTQ community has exercised remarkable strategic leadership in marshalling the forces for change. I believe that Measure 36 should be overturned and I look forward to working alongside the leadership of the community to do so.

Every program across the board will be subject to a regular audit and determination of what is working and what is not working effectively and efficiently.

The people have voted and made their decision on this issue. I support civil unions, but do not support same-sex marriage.

Responses compiled by Ryan J. Prado and Erin Rook.