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MARISA HELMS: The 2000 census shows that same-sex households in Minneapolis make up more than 1.5% of all households in the city. There are no census figures for the number of gay people actually living in Minneapolis, but leaders in the community estimate gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people make up anywhere between 10% and 16% of the city's population. Steve Rocheford is president of Lavender, the Twin Cities' only gay oriented magazine. He says American gays have won the fight for equal rights and the Twin Cities is leading the country with a reputation for progressive politics.

STEVE ROCHEFORD: There are battles ahead. Certainly, there will be pluses and minuses, but essentially the war is over. The equality that we've achieved is unbelievable.

MARISA HELMS: Rocheford says, like any other people in Minneapolis, gays care about city services and housing, along with traditionally gay issues like domestic partnership and hate crime laws. He says gays are politically active and are now starting to see their power as a voting block.

[KNOCKING]

DOUG KRESS: Hi, how are you? My name is Doug Kress. I'm running for city council here in the 10th Ward.

MARISA HELMS: Doug Kress is a gay candidate campaigning for one of 13 city council seats. While he's been endorsed by most of the gay political organizations and he supports issues like domestic partnership benefits, Kress says his sexuality has very little to do with his political ideas.

DOUG KRESS: I don't know of any gay agenda that's out there. I do not know of a gay agenda other than a livable city. We all want a livable city, but that's not a gay agenda.

MARISA HELMS: Political observers agree with Kress that there is no such thing as a gay agenda. Even Kress's 10th Ward opponent Dan [? Nedelec, ?] who is straight, calls the high number of gay candidates this season exciting and a positive reflection on Minneapolis. While some say being gay is not a problem, Doug Kress says at least some voters think it is.

DOUG KRESS: I'm hoping that being gay is not a deterrent for anybody to vote for me. However, I have had situations where people have seen that. And they automatically turn off and say, no, I don't believe in that, and will shut the door and I'll move on.

MARISA HELMS: Local gay writer Ken Darling believes no candidates will lose local races because they're gay. He says the number of gay candidates speaks to an important shift in the state's political culture.

KEN DARLING: Even though it is a non-issue, it will still have an important impact symbolically and culturally in our community. The gay community itself is going to be invigorated by this. It's going to put Minneapolis on the map among gay communities around the country. And it's just it says a lot about who we are as a community.

MARISA HELMS: At Boom, a downtown Minneapolis gay bar, people say, all things being equal, they would vote for a gay candidate over a straight one. They say they want more people like themselves in office. Voter [? Lynn ?] [? Smith ?] says she would want gay city council members to do a good job and set a good example.

[? LYNN SMITH: ?] The role model issue I think, is very important. Having somebody who is openly gay just going and doing a good job, whether they're setting policy, pro gay or pro women's right policy or not, the fact that they're there and representing a segment of the population that has previously been not represented is a good point in itself.

MARISA HELMS: There has been only one openly gay city council member in Minneapolis, Brian Coyle, who died while in office 10 years ago. This year, at least three of the council candidates did well enough in the primary to have a good chance of winning. If they do, the city's proportion of gay to straight council members could be the highest in the country. This is Marisa Helms, Minnesota Public Radio.