Travis Hendrix has been named as the next legislator to represent Alabama House District 55.

Hendrix ran for the seat in a special Democratic primary and won the nomination in an October runoff with Sylvia Swayne. Because no Republican ran for the seat, Hendrix would not have had competition in the special general election on Jan. 9, and so he was declared winner.

“Alabama Code allows the secretary of state, if there’s only one nominee from the two major parties for a House seat or Senate seat, (to) certify that person as the winner and not hold a general election,” Wayne Rogers, a spokesman for Sheriff Mark Pettway, told the Jefferson County Commission on Tuesday. “That’s going to save the county about $30,000.”

Some western Jefferson County voters will have a candidate on the Jan. 9 ballot, when Republican Bryan Brinyark faces Democratic nominee John Underwood for the House District 16 seat.

The Alabama House of Representatives convenes for its 2024 session in February.