The count is in, and James A. McDonald will be the new mayor of the City of Bradford.

“I am incredibly honored and beyond humbled for the opportunity to serve Bradford as your new mayor,” McDonald said. “There is a lot of work to be done, but I am willing to work with anyone who is willing to work with me. I look forward to representing the people of Bradford and providing transparent and responsible leadership.”

McDonald waged a write-in campaign that came down to just an 11 vote difference between him and Tom Riel, who was on the ballot.

Friday afternoon, Riel conceded.

“After reviewing the votes at the courthouse this morning, it appears I lost the City of Bradford Mayoral election 606 to 617,” Riel said. “The margin of difference was less than 1% of the total votes cast for mayor.

“Of course I wished it had turned out differently, but I also wish my opponent and the City of Bradford all the best,” Riel said. “I will not be ‘going away’ by any means and will continue to serve the citizens of Bradford.

“Thank you to everyone who supported me all of these years. I feel comfortable knowing the city is much better off now than it was 12 years ago,” Riel continued. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of the city of Bradford.”

McDonald expressed his gratitude to everyone who believed in him.

“There are so many people to thank, starting with God, my family, my supporters and my friends,” he said. “This was a team win, but more importantly it was a win for a new beginning.”