Brianna Vanata, who won the Republican primary for Greene County district attorney last week against incumbent David Russo, has also secured the Democratic nomination after receiving the most write-in votes for the position.
Vanata, of Greensboro, received more than 600 write-in votes out of a total of 942 in the Democratic primary that had no candidates on that side of the ticket. She easily defeated Russo for the Republican nomination – 2,996 to 1,150 votes – in the May 16 primary.
That means Vanata is on track to become Greene County’s next district attorney in January after winning both party nominations.
“I want to thank the voters of Greene County,” Vanata said in a written statement Thursday. “I am so humbled by the outpouring of the support they have shown me. I will never take for granted the responsibility I have to them, and will work hard to prove that they made the right choice. I am proud to be from Greene County and am excited to be a positive part of its future.”
Exact figures were not available Thursday, as county election officials were still counting the 6,600 write-ins from last week’s primary, although they hoped to complete the process by early next week. But Greene County Commission Chairman Mike Belding, who also oversees the county’s elections board, confirmed Vanata had received the most write-in votes in the Democratic primary for the district attorney’s race.
Russo, who has been district attorney for one term, did not respond to a phone message seeking comment Thursday. He was elected district attorney with just 37% of the vote in 2019 general election when he was involved in a three-way battle for the position between Democrat Jessica Phillips and write-in candidate Patrick Fitch.
Vanata served as an assistant district attorney in Greene County for 10 years – including time as the first assistant – while working under former district attorney Marjorie Fox, who retired at at the end of 2019. After leaving the district attorney’s office in 2020, Vanata worked as solicitor for Greene County Children and Youth Services.
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