In the 2022 election, Ontario County Sheriff's Lt. David Cirencione won a Republican primary election for the sheriff's job before winning the November general electon with nearly two-thirds of the vote.
Four years later, Cirencione is running unopposed for re-election on the Republican and Conservative party lines to serve another four-year term.
Meet the candidate
David Cirencione (R, C)
- Age: 51
- Residence: Phelps
- Family: He has a wife, three daughters and two grandsons.
- Previous political experience: "Running for second term – no previous political experience prior to my first run four years ago. I did have a Republican opponent I defeated in the 2022 primary and a Democratic candidate I beat to win the general election in 2022."
- Job: Cirencione is currently the Ontario County Sheriff.
- Community involvement: "Life Member, Nester Hose Company of the Geneva Fire Department; member - Winnek Post 396 – Sons of the American Legion (Geneva); member - Geneva Lodge of the Sons of Italy; member – Our Lady of Peace Parish (Geneva)."
David Cirencione
Cirencione, 51, of Geneva, was promoted to lieutenant in 2016. He served as commanding officer of the Criminal Investigation Division and as commanding officer of the Road Patrol, Crime Scene Unit, Underwater Search & Recovery Team, Field Training Officer Program and Eastview Mall Patrol.
He and wife, Sue, who has owned and operated the Ovid Big M supermarket, have three daughters.
To help inform your vote, we asked candidates to describe their biggest priority if elected. Find Cirencione's answers below.
Polls are open for regular voting between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. You can look up where to vote at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov. We'll have live Ontario County election results as they become available at democratandchronicle.com.
What is the most important issue facing residents in the community you hope to represent, and what would you do about it if elected?
"The most important issues facing Ontario County from my perspective continue to be people struggling with mental health and addiction. We remain committed to combating addiction by targeting drug dealers of all levels who seek to push narcotics and illicit substances in our communities. Our members work collaboratively with community partners to educate our youth on the dangers of substance abuse and addiction, aiming to proactively prevent our young people from becoming victims of this public health crisis.
"When it comes to mental health, we continue to send our officers through Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training in order to help them communicate more effectively with folks struggling from a mental health crisis. The tools they learn in this forty hour program have proven to increase peaceful resolutions, decreasing use of force incidents during these encounters. We consistently convene with our partners in mental health to include Ontario County Mental Health, Clifton Springs Hospital’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP) and Finer Lakes Area Counseling and Recovery Agency (FLACRA) to ensure collaboration in delivering the best services available to those in need."
Why should voters choose you?
"While I do not have an opponent, I feel that residents have seen my commitment to providing the highest level of professional, compassionate law enforcement services to all. We have launched several new programs to enhance our ability to serve all who reside and visit Ontario County. Those include our mobile app (OntarioSheriffNY), the Blue Envelope Program, Handle with Care Registry and Prepared Live to name a few. We have continued to build upon school safety by placing full time school resource officers in every school district while also building on our partnerships with Eastview Mall and CMAC, increasing our presence at both venues. As promised during my 2022 campaign, we have invested in the mental and emotional well being of our members by bringing on Dr. Kim Butler of Blue Line Wellness. Dr. Butler is available to our members and their families when they struggle with the stressors of working in public safety to include handling difficult calls involving children. Our members participate in a voluntary, wellness in-service training day every year. This event draws our members together from across bureaus and divisions for a day of outdoor team building activities. Bristol Mountain is hosting this year’s wellness in-service week."
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't helpfamilies with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Who's on ballot for Ontario County sheriff? Election 2026 details
