LONDON (AP) - The wig will be gone, but the cushy seat known as a Woolsack will still await the winner of an unprecedented election in the House of Lords.

Their Lordships voted Wednesday to choose their first Lord Speaker, an innovation to replace the centuries-old office of Lord Chancellor. The winner will be announced July 4.

The new Lord Speaker's post is one aspect of Prime Minister Tony Blair's unfinished project to remodel the House of Lords - making it more democratic and ejecting many of those who had simply inherited their seats. The government expelled some 600 hereditary members in 1999, allowing 92 others to remain, but still hasn't decided how members should be chosen in the future.

The Lord Chancellor's role was changed amid concern that a single position had so many responsibilities in separate branches of power. Besides the role in the House of Lords, the job also came with a seat in the Cabinet and the post of head of the judiciary.

Those responsibilities will now be split. The Lord Speaker will still preside over the House, but will be independent of the government. The newly restyled Lord Chancellor, who is appointed by the prime minister, will take the judicial role as well as the title of secretary of state for constitutional affairs.

Nine candidates sought the Lord Speaker's office. The post comes with an annual salary of about $185,000, plus an expense allowance of $62,000.

The Lords have frustrated the government recently, seeking important changes to education and anti-terrorism legislation.

Earlier this month, Jack Straw, the leader of the House of Commons, proposed new rules to rein in the Lords who have become "more assertive about their powers." Straw, a member of Blair's Cabinet, said he favors a 60-day limit on debates in the Lords, which now have no limit.

Anxiety about the Lords' powers figured in some of the statements of 75 words or less that candidates were allowed to make.

Lord Elton promised to "identify and help resist encroachments" on the Lords' independence; Lord Redesdale, on the other hand, promised to "do as little as possible in the chamber, apart from sitting on the Woolsack."

The Woolsack - the Lord Speaker's seat in the chamber - dates from the 14th century reign of King Edward III, when sacks of wool were placed in the chamber as a reminder of the source of national wealth.

The Lord Speaker will wear a gown while presiding - but he will not be sporting a wig.

On the Net:

House of Lords: http://www.parliament.uk/about-lords/about-lords.cfm