By Monday there will be a Democratic candidate for the 93rd District House seat.

On Wednesday officials from the Democratic Party unanimously agreed to approve putting the name of Jackson businessman Josh Bailey on the ballot for the November general election. Now paperwork must be filed with the Lawrence County Board of Elections for Bailey to become an official candidate.

Currently the seat is held by Republican Ryan Smith, who was appointed after winning his party’s nomination in the March primary. The seat opened up in January after the resignation of John Carey, who took a job at Shawnee State University.

“It was a unanimous agreement for him to be on the ballot,” said Craig Allen, chair of Lawrence County’s Democratic Party. “We think he will be a very viable candidate.

Attending the meeting at Jackson Municipal Court were Democratic Party chairs and secretary of Lawrence, Gallia and Jackson counties and the vice chair and secretary of Vinton County, along with Bailey. The 93rd takes in parts of Lawrence and Vinton counties and all of Jackson and Gallia counties.

Bailey is the second-generation of family entrepreneurs who currently own a lube oil business and manage rental properties in Jackson. He is a graduate of Ohio University with a degree in political science and is a member of the farm bureau. This is the first time for Bailey to run for political office.