Election officials in Ontario County released a detailed update Friday on the status of the still-unofficial results from the Republican primary for District Attorney — a race that remains too close to call.
The June 24 contest between incumbent Jim Ritts and challenger Jason MacBride drew more than 4,200 votes, with MacBride declaring victory based on a narrow 115-vote lead. But as of Friday afternoon, 324 vote-by-mail ballots had not yet been returned, and the Ontario County Board of Elections cautioned that the outcome remains unofficial and subject to change.
The Board reported it had received 24 additional mail-in ballots since June 22, including 23 from Republican voters. A total of 256 mail-in ballots had already been scanned and counted as part of the preliminary results.
Election law allows officials to count any ballots postmarked by June 24 that arrive by July 1. Additionally, 34 voters cast affidavit or provisional ballots during in-person voting. Those will be reviewed for eligibility and canvassed on June 30.
If the final vote margin falls below 0.5% or fewer than 20 votes, a hand recount of all ballots will be triggered under state law. Such a recount would take place during the week of July 14, following certification.
Ritts, seeking a third term, has not conceded the race. “It is too early to concede,” he said earlier this week, citing the volume of uncounted ballots and the standard review process. MacBride, who previously worked as Ritts’ top assistant, claimed victory after the initial count, saying, “This community deserves the very best District Attorney’s Office. That is why I entered this race in February.”
Final results will not be certified until after all ballots have been counted and mandatory post-election audits are complete — expected sometime between July 3 and July 7.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].