The Town of Evansville’s mayor abruptly resigned Saturday through a social media post, saying that her town and the state’s political system is “broken.”
Candace Machado said the resignation “has been a long time coming” and is not related to political heat from residents over her placement of pride flags during Pride Month in June that generated some calls for her resignation.
One local man drew swastikas on the sidewalk and walkways around the town hall in response to the pride flags.
“I feel like it was time for me to part ways because I didn’t feel like things were moving in a forward-thinking motion,” she said. “My choice for resignation has nothing to do with the criticism from people, because in the political arena you are going to get criticism either way.”
In her social media post Saturday, and in a conversation with Cowboy State Daily on Monday, Machado alluded to a political system that she believes is too focused on the “status quo” and unwilling to allow for different ideas or solutions.
“If you are progressive, that is a problem,” she said.
Machado said people in the state need to understand what it is like to do the mayoral role and the behind-the-scenes things that go on that should not be.
She said she has met many people in office who are doing their jobs well, but also has witnessed several more taking advantage of their positions or just not serving the people they were elected or appointed to represent.
Machado said she has witnessed council members smelling of alcohol at a council meeting, elected officials giving money to other elected officials to “potentially buy their votes or pay them off” and the “House of Representatives creating a bullying or intimidating situation at a Wyoming Association of Municipalities conference.”
The ex-mayor also said she experienced people in “high-ranking positions making claims that if we don’t fall in line that they’ll vote against me for something coming up.”
‘Conformity’
“I feel like the political climate in Wyoming is very much so about conformity and keeping up with the status quo,” she said. “There is this undercurrent of quiet silence that happens that if you don’t think a certain way. (If) you are not a certain politician then doors get closed, you get ignored, or you don’t make it far enough.”
While initially serving on the town council, Machado was appointed mayor in February 2024 after the resignation of the previous mayor. She was then elected to lead the town in November 2024, receiving 484 votes to 288 for her opponent.
Machado is the owner of a meditation business in downtown Casper and listed her previous work during her mayoral candidacy as a social worker in the mental health field for 16 years. She has a master’s degree in social work.
Machado said she is proud of her achievements as a member of the council and as mayor, including maintaining a balanced budget, building a new park playground, adding mental health services for town employees, passing a code of ethics for elected officials and obtaining a $9 million grant for Mesa Natural Gas Solutions for a building.
Council member Dacia Edwards said she had no comment on Machado’s resignation. She said an agenda for the next regular town council meeting would be posted on Friday after being asked if a new mayor would be appointed at the next meeting.
Town Clerk Janelle Underwood said Evansville’s Code of Ordinances provides for filling a mayoral vacancy.
Under the ordinance, an appointment is made to fill the vacancy that carries over until the next municipal election. The mayoral slot is filled from a current council member.
“A vacancy in the office of mayor shall be filled only from the governing body,” the ordinance states.
Mayoral Support
Machado’s social media resignation and comments appeared to receive support from Mills Mayor Leah Juarez. Juarez did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
In her social media post, Juarez seemed to sympathize with having to endure personal attacks for trying to lead a community.
“The role of mayor is not an easy one. It can be isolating and at times, one of the most hostile environments a person can endure,” she wrote. “I’m fortunate to have had five colleagues who understand that truth more deeply than anyone else could.”
Juarez wrote that elected officials did not sign up for personal attacks or threats “to our livelihood.” Instead, she likened the role of town government to ranchers keeping their livelihood safe.
“We signed up to serve. To lead. To protect the herd,” Juarez wrote.
Machado said the Mills mayor is a friend and “confidante of mine” whom she respects as a person and a leader. She said constituents need to understand what it is like to do the mayoral role and Juarez brought out some of its reality in her post.
The former mayor said she plans to use her social media page she had as mayor to share about the positive and negative aspects of her experiences serving the Evansville community.
“I will be sharing the truth of what it’s like to be mayor, what we go through, the lies, and what I have witnessed over five years,” she said.
In June, Machado entered the race to serve as the chair for the Wyoming Democratic Party. She lost by a 52-4 vote.
During her campaign speech, Machado emphasized her high energy level and ability to serve a “Republican-type of a town” as mayor of Evansville. She said then that she had confronted myriad challenges in that role.
“We are called now to fight. We are called now to rise — to stand up and say that we’re here, we are not going anywhere,” said Machado. “And we are specifically being called to address the big key issues that don’t get addressed in Wyoming.”
According to Machado during her June speech, those included human rights, women’s rights, civil rights, and immigration reform.
Wishes Town ‘Well’
As she moves forward now, Machado said she wishes the Town of Evansville and the staff that work there “well.” She said she hopes residents “do their research” before they make their choices in the next council election.
Attempts to reach Evansville Council members Ernie Blackford, Greg Flesvig, and Alona Vigneault were unsuccessful by deadline.
Machado said that her constituents put her in office and that she “came in as me and I’m going out of this role as me.” She said she feels contented and peaceful with her decision to leave.
“I chose in this position to not be a sellout and I chose not to lose myself in the role, the label and the title,” she said. “Because at the end of the day, the role, the label, and the title does not matter. What matters is being a good person and being an honest person.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
