Jason MacBride declared victory in the Republican primary for Ontario County District Attorney, after unofficial results showed him ahead of incumbent Jim Ritts by 115 votes.
MacBride received 2,179 votes to Ritts’ 2,064, giving him just over 51% of the vote, compared to Ritts’ 48%. There were 4,245 total ballots cast in the race, along with two write-ins, according to unofficial results.
“Tonight was a wonderful evening with my family and friends,” MacBride said early Wednesday. “I cannot thank voters enough for their support and belief in me. This community deserves the very best District Attorney’s Office. That is why I entered this race in February.”
While MacBride celebrated a narrow lead, Ritts — who is seeking a third four-year term — was not ready to concede.
“The initial unofficial results from today’s Republican Primary Election show us trailing by a very close 115-vote margin out of nearly 4,300 votes cast,” Ritts said. “It is too early to concede the race, as we should wait for any standard review procedures by the Board of Elections, as well as additional absentee ballots to be received by mail in the coming days.”
According to the Ontario County Board of Elections, 276 Republican vote-by-mail ballots had been received as of Wednesday, with another 361 ballots still outstanding. Under state law, any ballot postmarked by June 24 will be accepted through July 1.
Final certification of the election results will not occur until all absentee and affidavit ballots are counted. If the final margin falls under 0.5% or is fewer than 20 votes, the race would automatically trigger a manual hand recount — a process that cannot begin before the week of July 14.
The closely watched race featured two familiar figures: Ritts, the sitting DA since 2017, and MacBride, his former top assistant who left the office to work for the Ontario County Attorney’s Office. The contest drew strong interest and sharp divisions — particularly over a controversial annual event known as “Fall Fest,” an after-hours party hosted by the DA’s office and held inside the county courthouse.
MacBride criticized the party’s presence in a government building, citing a county report that detailed alcohol consumption during the event. Ritts downplayed the concerns and noted that MacBride had previously participated in the gathering.
The campaign also split law enforcement endorsements. Ritts was backed by the New York State Police Investigators Association, the New York State Troopers PBA, former state Supreme Court Justice Craig Doran, and former Canandaigua City Court Judge Stephen Aronson, along with other local officials. MacBride countered with endorsements from former Ontario County District Attorney Mike Tantillo, former Undersheriff David Tillman, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office PBAs, the Geneva Police Department PBA, and several town Republican committees.
The Ontario County Republican Committee did not endorse a candidate in the race.
Both candidates are expected to appear on the November 4 general election ballot. Ritts will appear on the Conservative Party line, while MacBride secured an independent ballot line. However, winning the Republican nomination could provide a significant advantage in a county where Republicans hold a numerical edge in voter registration. No Democratic candidate filed to run for the office.
MacBride said he plans to continue campaigning heading into the fall. “There is a lot of hard work still to do until November, but we’re excited about the opportunity to build on the momentum of tonight,” he said.
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