CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cheyenne voters have decided the four candidates who have a chance at becoming Ward I councilmembers once November rolls around.
Four Cheyenne City Council Ward I candidates — Travis French, Pete Laybourn, Miguel Reyes and Jeff White — will appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 5.
Seven candidates ran in this year’s primary to claim one of the two open seats in Ward I. Laybourn and White are both incumbents.
For the primary election, the four City Council Ward I candidates who receive the highest number of votes advance to the Nov. 5 general election, according to Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee.
The following is the final vote count for each candidate, per results from the Laramie County Clerk’s Office:
- Jeff White: 1,384
- Pete Laybourn: 1,325
- Linda Burt: 609
- Miguel Reyes: 563
- Travis French: 545
- James “Chris” Heath: 363
- Nathaniel Fuquan Freeman: 304
- Write-In Totals: 71
- Total Votes Cast: 5,164
Although Linda Burt received the third-highest number of votes, she withdrew from the race in late June, Burt told Cap City News via email. Her name appeared on the ballot because she withdrew after the ballots were prepared, an employee in the County Clerk’s Election Office told Cap City News. The employee confirmed that Travis French, who received the fifth-highest number of votes, will progress to November’s ballot.
About the City Council candidates
Jeff White is an incumbent seeking reelection to the City Council. He has lived in Cheyenne since 1981 and says he holds a “forward-thinking approach to our challenges and opportunities.” He currently serves in WYDOT as program manager for its Office of Civil Rights. The following items are the top initiatives he said he would like to work on as a councilmember:
- Capital investment in Cheyenne’s downtown, West Edge and Reed Avenue Corridor
- Considering more water resources for Cheyenne outside the Colorado River and mitigating a potential water crisis
To view White’s full Q&A with Cap City News, click here.
Pete Laybourn has served three terms with the City Council, the first of which he carried out from 2005 to 2009, according to the city’s website. He has been on the council since 2016 and is seeking a fourth and final term. Most recently, Laybourn has stated at public meetings his intent to improve downtown sidewalks and safety in Cheyenne.
Laybourn did not submit a Q&A to Cap City News for the general election.
In his Q&A with Cap City News, Travis French said he was inspired to run for local office because he felt “governing bodies ignore citizens and refuse to take accountability.” He says his focus as a councilmember will be to promote family, community and safety. The following items are the top three initiatives he said he would like to work on if elected to the City Council:
- Improving the city’s aging infrastructure
- Addressing crime
- Address various issues in downtown Cheyenne
To view White’s full Q&A with Cap City News, click here.
Newcomer Miguel Reyes did not submit a Q&A to Cap City News.
