Republican Cam Ward, who recently won election to the newly created House District 49 of the Alabama Legislature, could be the youngest active member of the House when he takes office.

Ward, who was born March 24, 1971, is 31 years of age.

Prior to last Wednesday’s primary runoff, Ward was edged out in youth by Rep. Will Parker of Birmingham, according to Jeff Woodard, chief of staff for the Alabama Speaker of the House.

Now that Parker, 29, who was born Aug. 7, 1972, has been defeated in the June 25 primary runoff, Ward edges out Rep. Todd Greeson of DeKalb County among current members of the House by a mere 17 days, reports Woodard.

Greeson was born March 7, 1971.

Whether Ward’s youthful status will remain depends on the possibility that anyone younger is a candidate in the general election, Woodard said.

But neither Ward nor Parker are spring chicks in Alabama political history, according to John Morgan, Senate research director and webmaster for the State Legislature.

Morgan said the qualification age for the state Senate is 25 and for the House is 21. And he said there were several that age who have served in the past.

Ward won election by default in the June 4 primary as he had no Democrat opposition, and his Republican opponent, Becki Rauch, dropped out of the race prior to the vote.

House District 49 is a new legislative seat for Shelby County which serves Pelham, Alabaster, Helena and North Bibb County.

Ward is vice chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party and serves on the state Republican Party executive committee.

He said of his agenda as a member of the House &045; &uot;the biggest thing&uot; &045; will be &uot;to listen to what people here at home want of me.&uot;

Ward said he will also &uot;work to bring more dollars back to the district from Montgomery for roads and schools.&uot;

He said his third biggest goal will be &uot;honest election legislation … voter identification.&uot;

Ward served in the state auditor’s office as a legal council for three years, in the secretary of state’s office as the assistant secretary of state and as district director for U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus.

Despite ultimately winning without a fight, Ward said he campaigned &uot;very hard.&uot;

He said he personally went door to door to more than 1,200 homes. And he called his campaign &uot;as grass roots as you can get.&uot;

&uot;Of course I’m thrilled (wining the election during his first run) and I am humbled by it … thrilled that the people have given me this chance.&uot;