He was elected to the state legislature in 1948, representing South Philadelphia; he was reelected every two years through 1956. Amarando also served as a delegate to the 1956 and 1960 Democratic National Conventions. When the Philadelphia Register of Wills, Joseph A. Scanlon, died in 1957, Amarando was named to replace him. In the special election for the post that year, he won an easy victory over his Republican opponent.