Leo Pando (died March 30, 2023) was an American politician who was active in local politics in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He served in the Cheyenne city council and as the 53rd Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Leo Pando
53rd Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming
In office
1993–2001
Preceded byGary Schaeffer
Succeeded byJack R. Spiker
Member of the Cheyenne, Wyoming city council from Ward 2
In office
1989–1993
Personal details
DiedMarch 30, 2023

Early life

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Leo Pando was one of eleven children. He was a member of the Cheyenne sanitation crew while in high school. In 1985, a hail storm and flash flooding killed twelve people in Cheynne, including Pando's daughter.[1]

Career

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Pando served as a police detective in the Cheyenne, Wyoming police department.[2][1] In 1988, Pando was elected to the city council in Cheyenne from Ward 2 alongside Joseph C. Dougherty.[3] Pando was selected to serve as the vice-president of the city council.[4]

In 1992, Pando ran in Cheyenne's mayoral election against incumbent Mayor Gary Schaeffer. He placed second in the primary behind Schaeffer and defeated Schaeffer in the general election.[5][6] Pando ran for reelection in 1996, placed first out of eight candidates in the primary, and defeated Rod Miller in the general election.[7][8]

Pando ran for reelection in 2000, placed first in the primary, but was defeated in the general election by Jack Spiker.[9][10] Pando had spent $20,386 against Spiker's $13,449, and he had outraised Spiker.[11]

Pando appointed Mark Moran to replace Bernard Pitts, who had served since March 1986, as municipal court judge starting on July 1. 1999, and Moran served until 2019.[12][13] In 2000, Pando successfully requested the resignation of Frederika Barlea, the Cheyenne city treasurer, after Barela admitted to knowing about up to $600,000 in unreconciled bank statements and not sending the statements to Pando.[14] The city's general fund had more than $11 million at the end of Pando's term.[1]

Death

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Pando died on March 30, 2023.[1]

Electoral history

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1988 Cheyenne, Wyoming city council Ward 2 election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Joseph C. Doughterty 4,801 32.07%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando 4,268 28.51%
Nonpartisan Virgil Slough 3,728 24.90%
Nonpartisan Billie Ruth Edwards 2,173 14.52%
Total votes 14,970 100.00%
1992 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Gary Schaeffer (incumbent) 6,168 39.06%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando 5,574 35.29%
Nonpartisan Diana Oliger 3,454 21.87%
Nonpartisan Frank Slurff 597 3.78%
Total votes 15,793 100.00%
1992 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando 11,594 50.79%
Nonpartisan Gary Schaeffer (incumbent) 11,232 49.21%
Total votes 22,826 100.00%
1996 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando (incumbent) 11,979 50.99%
Nonpartisan Gary Schaeffer 11,515 49.01%
Total votes 23,494 100.00%
2000 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando (incumbent) 4,879 42.46%
Nonpartisan Jack Spiker 3,448 30.01%
Nonpartisan Scott Roybal 1,958 17.04%
Nonpartisan Dennis Rafferty 1,206 10.50%
Total votes 11,491 100.00%
2000 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Nonpartisan Jack Spiker 13,461 56.16%
Nonpartisan Leo Pando (incumbent) 10,403 43.39%
Nonpartisan Write-ins 110 0.46%
Total votes 23,974 100.00%

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Leo Pando, former Cheyenne mayor, remembered fondly". Wyoming Tribune Eagle. April 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "Mayor gives city judge 6-month reprieve". Casper Star-Tribune. January 6, 1999. p. 9. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "1988 election results". Casper Star-Tribune. November 10, 1988. p. 31. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "City Council Vice President". Casper Star-Tribune. July 4, 1989. p. 13. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Schaeffer, Pando in mayoral race". Billings Gazette. August 20, 1992. p. 31. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Cheyenne councilman beats incumbent in mayoral race". Casper Star-Tribune. November 5, 1992. p. 13. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Cheyenne mayor tops field of 7". Billings Gazette. August 22, 1996. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Pando earns second term". Billings Gazette. November 6, 1996. p. 11. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Spiker, Pando advance in Cheyenne". Casper Star-Tribune. August 23, 2000. p. 13. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "Spiker ousts incumbent Pando". Casper Star-Tribune. November 8, 2000. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Cheyenne mayor outspent foe, lost". Casper Star-Tribune. December 12, 2000. p. 11. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Moran named municipal judge". Casper Star-Tribune. June 24, 1999. p. 15. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ ""An exceptional man": Moran retires as senior municipal court judge". Wyoming Tribune Eagle. December 29, 2019. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023.
  14. ^ "Resignation". The Bond Buyer. September 22, 2000. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023.