GRAYSON — While political junkies across the nation awaited key off-year election results in other states, voters in Lewis and Carter counties now know whom will be on their ballot in an upcoming special election.

Democrat Barry Webb and Republican Jill York will contend for the remainder of Robin Webb's term in the Kentucky House of Representatives. The election will be held Dec. 8 to fill the 96th District House seat vacated by Robin Webb when she was elected to the state Senate in August.

Barry Webb was selected the Democratic nominee by 29 Democratic officials at a joint meeting in Grayson Monday evening. Webb, 50, of Grayson, was selected out of a field of four candidates which included former Olive Hill Mayor Jim Short, Olive Hill construction company owner Vernon Adkins and Grayson businessman David Hayes.

"I think (Webb) came prepared with a very good campaign speech, so to say," said Carter County Democratic chair Ron Bush. "He was very concerned about the economy and the economy here in northeastern Kentucky."

Webb is employed as a maintenance welder at the AK Steel's Ashland coke plant and has served various elected positions in Local 523 of the United Steelworkers of America. This will be his first run for elected office.

"I've always been interested in politics and worked on a couple of Robin's campaigns and when this opportunity came along, I felt it was a very opportune time for someone like me to pursue it," Barry Webb said.

With his experience in the manufacturing industry, Webb believes he can be a true voice for his fellow blue-collar workers.

"I feel like there needs to be a little different voice heard," Webb said. "I work in manufacturing and in the legislative body, not a lot people do that."

York of Grayson was selected during Tuesday evening's meeting at the Carter County Justice Center. She and Dallas Burchett were the only two nominated from the floor.

Ben Harrison, Republican Party chair for Lewis County, said 16 people voted to select York as the candidate.

York formerly served as a magistrate for Carter County until 2006. She is on the Chamber of Commerce and is chairman of the Carter County Fair Board. She runs Print Works in Grayson.

"I think we have knowledgeable candidate whose community involvement is second to none," Harrison said.

York knows both Carter and Lewis counties, and the needs of those counties, Harrison said.

A special election was held Aug. 25 in which Robin Webb was chosen to fill the 18th District Senate seat of Charles Borders. Borders had been recently appointed to the Kentucky Public Service Commission by Gov. Steve Beshear.

The victor of next month's election will serve the remainder of Webb's term, which ends Dec. 31, 2010, the same day Borders' Senate term expires which will cause Webb to have to run for re-election.

The result of December's election will not affect the Democratic hold on the state House. Democrats hold a 64-35 margin in the chamber.