Recall ramifications: what will California's recall election do to gay rights in the Golden State?

As Californians weigh the possible outcome of an October 7 gubernatorial recall election, some gay voters are wondering what the election will mean for the progress of pro-gay legislation in the state.

"The LGBT community has a lot at stake," said Geoffrey Kors, executive director of the gay rights group Equality California. Gov. Gray Davis--the target of the recall--has appointed nine openly gay judges and signed numerous pro-gay bills, Kors said, including a transgender rights bill on August 2 that makes California only the fourth state with such a law.

On August 16, Davis announced that he would sign a sweeping domestic-partners bill that would give California's gay couples rights similar to those currently available to same-sex couples in Vermont. In addition to that bill, another would require state contractors to offer equal benefits to all employees. Both bills are expected to make it out of the state senate and be on Davis's desk this month. Davis seldom indicates how he feels about controversial bills before he signs them, causing some gay rights activists to argue that he may be trying to shore up his gay voter base.

Officially, 135 candidates were certified to be on the ballot to replace Davis, including Democratic lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante, who endorsed all three pro-gay bills in May. At least two openly gay gubernatorial hopefuls are also running: Jim Vandeventer Jr., a Republican and former Beverly Hills car salesman, is running on a platform that touts fiscal responsibility and same-sex civil unions, while attorney Ronald Palmieri, a Democrat, entered the race as an antirecall, pro-gay rights candidate.

But no candidate has received more attention than Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, who in the past has expressed support for adoptions by gays and encouraged the GOP to be more inclusive of gay voters. Jeffrey Bissiri, president of Log Cabin Republicans of California, said his group is interested in hearing more from Schwarzenegger. "He's saying the right kinds of things," Bissiri said.

Whether Schwarzenegger supports the current pro-gay legislation is anybody's guess.

Davis, on the other hand, has a proven track record of support for gay causes, says openly gay state senator Sheila Kuehl. "While [Davis] has demonstrated again and again his support for our community, not one Republican governor or legislator ever has," she said. "Democratic majorities in both houses of [state] government are irrelevant with a governor who vetoes."