Leo Pando
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Leo Pando
| image =
| office = 53rd Mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming
| term_start = 1993
| term_end = 2001
| predecessor = Gary Schaeffer
| successor = Jack R. Spiker
| office2 = Member of the Cheyenne, Wyoming city council from Ward 2
| term_start2 = 1989
| term_end2 = 1993
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = March 30, 2023
| death_place =
| party =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives =
| education =
| signature =
}}
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.
Early life
Career
Pando served as a police detective in the Cheyenne, Wyoming police department.{{Cite news |date=January 6, 1999 |title=Mayor gives city judge 6-month reprieve |page=9 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59205727/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227173833/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59205727/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1988, Pando was elected to the city council in Cheyenne from Ward 2 alongside Joseph C. Dougherty.{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1988 |title=1988 election results |page=31 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59202739/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174120/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59202739/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Pando was selected to serve as the vice-president of the city council.{{Cite news |date=July 4, 1989 |title=City Council Vice President |page=13 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59202887/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174236/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59202887/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}
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.{{Cite news |date=August 20, 1992 |title=Schaeffer, Pando in mayoral race |page=31 |work=Billings Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59202997/the-billings-gazette/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174402/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette/59202997/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 5, 1992 |title=Cheyenne councilman beats incumbent in mayoral race |page=13 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59203175/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174640/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59203175/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Pando ran for reelection in 1996, placed first out of eight candidates in the primary, and defeated Rod Miller in the general election.{{Cite news |date=August 22, 1996 |title=Cheyenne mayor tops field of 7 |page=8 |work=Billings Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59204455/the-billings-gazette/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174825/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette/59204455/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 6, 1996 |title=Pando earns second term |page=11 |work=Billings Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59204532/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227174941/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59204532/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Pando ran for reelection in 2000, placed first in the primary, but was defeated in the general election by Jack Spiker.{{Cite news |date=August 23, 2000 |title=Spiker, Pando advance in Cheyenne |page=13 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59202309/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227175048/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59202309/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=November 8, 2000 |title=Spiker ousts incumbent Pando |page=1 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59205646/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227175202/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59205646/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Pando had spent $20,386 against Spiker's $13,449, and he had outraised Spiker.{{Cite news |date=December 12, 2000 |title=Cheyenne mayor outspent foe, lost |page=11 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59205571/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227175312/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59205571/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}
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.{{Cite news |date=June 24, 1999 |title=Moran named municipal judge |page=15 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59205017/casper-star-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227175603/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/59205017/ |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=December 29, 2019 |title="An exceptional man": Moran retires as senior municipal court judge |work=Wyoming Tribune Eagle |url=https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/an-exceptional-man-moran-retires-as-senior-municipal-court-judge/article_27294a14-7872-5189-9581-236a98bc744f.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227175810/https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/an-exceptional-man-moran-retires-as-senior-municipal-court-judge/article_27294a14-7872-5189-9581-236a98bc744f.html |archive-date=December 27, 2023}} 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.{{Cite news |date=September 22, 2000 |title=Resignation |work=The Bond Buyer |url=https://www.bondbuyer.com/news/wyoming-bb128550 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227180236/https://www.bondbuyer.com/news/wyoming-bb128550 |archive-date=December 27, 2023}} The city's general fund had more than $11 million at the end of Pando's term.
Death
Pando died on March 30, 2023.{{Cite news |date=April 5, 2023 |title=Leo Pando, former Cheyenne mayor, remembered fondly |work=Wyoming Tribune Eagle |url=https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/leo-pando-former-cheyenne-mayor-remembered-fondly/article_a5310362-d338-11ed-8d5f-9b50972416f8.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227173632/https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/leo-pando-former-cheyenne-mayor-remembered-fondly/article_a5310362-d338-11ed-8d5f-9b50972416f8.html |archive-date=December 27, 2023}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change|title = 1988 Cheyenne, Wyoming city council Ward 2 election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Joseph C. Doughterty
|votes = 4,801
|percentage = 32.07%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando
|votes = 4,268
|percentage = 28.51%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Virgil Slough
|votes = 3,728
|percentage = 24.90%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Billie Ruth Edwards
|votes = 2,173
|percentage = 14.52%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 14,970
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title = 1992 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Gary Schaeffer (incumbent)
|votes = 6,168
|percentage = 39.06%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando
|votes = 5,574
|percentage = 35.29%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Diana Oliger
|votes = 3,454
|percentage = 21.87%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Frank Slurff
|votes = 597
|percentage = 3.78%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 15,793
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando
|votes = 11,594
|percentage = 50.79%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Gary Schaeffer (incumbent)
|votes = 11,232
|percentage = 49.21%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 22,826
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title = 1996 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando (incumbent)
|votes = 11,979
|percentage = 50.99%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Gary Schaeffer
|votes = 11,515
|percentage = 49.01%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 23,494
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title = 2000 Cheyenne, Wyoming mayoral election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando (incumbent)
|votes = 4,879
|percentage = 42.46%
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Jack Spiker
|votes = 3,448
|percentage = 30.01%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Scott Roybal
|votes = 1,958
|percentage = 17.04%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Dennis Rafferty
|votes = 1,206
|percentage = 10.50%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 11,491
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Jack Spiker
|votes = 13,461
|percentage = 56.16%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party = Nonpartisan politician
|candidate = Leo Pando (incumbent)
|votes = 10,403
|percentage = 43.39%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 110
|percentage = 0.46%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 23,974
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pando, Leo}}
Category:20th-century mayors of places in Wyoming