Two Blount County residents will face off in a runoff election Dec. 11 for the Alabama House of Representatives District 34 seat.

The district, which includes much of Blount County and parts of north Jefferson County, is now empty since Gov. Robert Bently appointed Rep. Elwyn Thomas to head the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission.

Three men ran for the position: Former Blount County Probate Judge David Standridge, vice president of the Blount County Board of Education Chris Latta of Oneonta; and former House member Jim Murphree.

Standridge received just over 33 percent of the vote and Latta received just over 23 percent in a race where almost 5,500 votes were cast.

Standridge stepped down in September from his post as probate judge and chairman of the Blount County Commission in order to run for the House seat.

Standridge and Latta are Republicans; no candidates from the Democratic Party are running for the position.