Dave Pantos
Dave Pantos was a member of the Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors in Nebraska, representing District 3. He assumed office in 2017. He left office on January 7, 2021.
Pantos (Democratic Party) ran for election for Douglas County Attorney in Nebraska. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Pantos completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Dave Pantos was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Pantos earned a bachelor's degree from Rutgers College in 1992, a J.D. from Indiana University Bloomington in 1996, and a graduate degree from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 1996. His career experience includes working as a lawyer. Pantos has served as the vice chair of the Metro Community College Board of Governors and has been affiliated with the Nebraska State Bar Association, the Nebraska Lawyers Trust Account Foundation, Omaha Permaculture, and the Kids Can Community Center.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Douglas County, Nebraska (2022)
General election
General election for Douglas County Attorney
Incumbent Donald Kleine defeated Dave Pantos in the general election for Douglas County Attorney on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Donald Kleine (R) | 56.9 | 107,490 | |
 | Dave Pantos (D)  | 43.0 | 81,287 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 272 | ||
| Total votes: 189,049 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Dave Pantos advanced from the Democratic primary for Douglas County Attorney.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Donald Kleine advanced from the Republican primary for Douglas County Attorney.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Douglas County, Nebraska (2020)
General election
General election for Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors District 3
Adam Gotschall defeated incumbent Dave Pantos in the general election for Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors District 3 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Adam Gotschall (Nonpartisan) | 56.2 | 39,457 |
| Dave Pantos (Nonpartisan) | 43.8 | 30,729 | |
| Total votes: 70,186 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors District 3
Adam Gotschall and incumbent Dave Pantos defeated Gerald Kuhn and Cameron Gales in the primary for Metropolitan Community College Board of Governors District 3 on May 12, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Adam Gotschall (Nonpartisan) | 28.3 | 9,671 |
| ✔ | | Dave Pantos (Nonpartisan) | 26.4 | 8,998 |
| Gerald Kuhn (Nonpartisan) | 23.0 | 7,861 | ||
| Cameron Gales (Nonpartisan) | 22.3 | 7,599 | ||
| Total votes: 34,129 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Dave Pantos completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pantos' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
- We need prison reform. Nebraska faces the worst prison overcrowding in the country and the problem is getting worse. The current county attorney continues to prosecute and recommend long sentences for even non-violent offenders. It's time to change this approach with a focus on violent crime and sexual assaults.
- We need criminal justice reform. Nebraska is now worst in the nation when it comes to racial disparities in prosecution and incarceration. While we all agree that public safety is paramount, it's not fair that we disproportionately punish black and brown people.
- We need improved public safety with a focus on crime prevention. Nebraska has one of the worst recidivism rates in the country. This is due to prison overcrowding and a lack of investment in re-entry (post-release) and prevention (in the schools). I will use the bully pulpit of this office to ensure that we invest in these programs.
Not prosecuting low-level marijuana possession (and will not make exceptions because of
someone’s criminal record).
Will decline to seek mandatory minimum or habitual offender sentences based on underlying charges for marijuana possession.
Using the power of my office to support legislation that fully decriminalizes marijuana.
Using the power of my office to support legislation that will expunge (or seek sentencing reductions for) past marijuana-related convictions that would be treated differently today.
Changing metrics of evaluation to focus on crime reduction, not increased incarceration.
Immediate review of policies and practices with a focus on racial justice.
Working to reform cash bail so that it is used only in the most severe cases.
Increasing transparency.
Representing the County in Civil Matters
Ensuring Equal Justice
Maintaining Public Safety.
A: "Lawyers are not like a vampire at all."
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2020
Dave Pantos did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 16, 2022
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