Diana Toledo, who is running for King County Council, froze when the Stranger Election Control Board asked her our final question of the interview: Do you support same-sex marriage—yes or no?

“It’s a divisive question,” Toledo eventually told the SECB. “If it was on the ballot, I’d have to look into it. My point is that I have never been involved in politics. My thoughts about gay marriage never came up.”

But it turns out the subject had come up—a lot. “I worked at the marriage license counter in King County," Toledo continued. In fact, she held that position when a half-dozen same-sex couples applied for marriage licenses in 2004 as part of a legal challenge to DOMA. “I was on TV nationwide denying people licenses. I would say, 'It is my job to tell them what the law is.' But to be villainized, to be publicly attacked for telling people what the law is...” she trailed off. “The problem is that I have a broad base of support and a lot of people come and tell me passionately why civil unions make sense to them and they should have all the rights of marriage.”

Why is the name marriage—why is the name important?” she asks. “I need to look at it more. I would resent it if you published a yes or no answer. Tell me why it’s important to have that name. Help me understand—I am open to understanding.”

So, gang, want to help Diana Toledo understand why the name “marriage” is important for same-sex couples?