{{Short description|American politician (born 1965)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder |name = Helene Keeley |office = Speaker pro tempore of the Delaware House of Representatives |term_start = January 2015 |term_end = November 12, 2018 |predecessor = Gerald Brady |successor = Position abolished |state_house1 = Delaware |district1 = 3rd |term_start1 = November 6, 2002 |term_end1 = November 12, 2018 |predecessor1 = Arthur Scott |successor1 = Sherry Dorsey Walker |state_house2 = Delaware |district2 = 5th |term_start2 = November 6, 1996 |term_end2 = November 6, 2002 |predecessor2 = Casimir Jonkiert |successor2 = Melanie George Smith |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|5|15}} |birth_place = Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |education = Columbia University (BA) }} '''Helene M. Keeley''' (born May 15, 1965) is an American politician. She was a Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives from 1997 to 2019.<ref name="DL">{{cite web |url= https://legis.delaware.gov/AssemblyMember/149/Keeley |title= Former Representative Helene M. Keeley (D) |publisher= Delaware General Assembly |location= Dover, Delaware |accessdate= January 19, 2019}}</ref><ref name="PVS">{{cite web |url= http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/12879 |title= Helene Keeley's Biography |publisher= Project Vote Smart |accessdate= November 12, 2013}}</ref> Initially planning to run for reelection in 2018, she retired to accept a position as deputy director at the Delaware Lottery Office with an annual salary of $95,000.<ref name="news journal">{{cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/23/retiring-state-rep-helene-keeley-lands-job-delaware-lottery-office/1737581002/ |title=Retiring state Rep. Helene Keeley appointed to No. 2 job at Delaware Lottery Office |first=Scott |last=Goss |newspaper=The News Journal |date=October 23, 2018}}</ref> She had previously been appointed a community relations community for the Department of Labor in 2004 with an annual salary of $46,344 in addition to her salary as a legislator, and was one of several former Democrats to receive a high-paying state job after leaving legislative office.<ref name="news journal" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wdel.com/news/retiring-state-rep-helene-keeley-gets-new-job-with-delaware/article_b75c672e-d83e-11e8-b71f-779ea0ecb8cd.html |title=Retiring state Rep. Helene Keeley gets new job with Delaware State Lottery |first=Joe |last=Irizarry |publisher=WDEL 1150 AM |date=October 25, 2018}}</ref>
==Electoral history== *In 1996, Keeley challenged incumbent Democrat Casimir Jonkiert in a three-way primary election for the House District 5 seat, winning by 32 votes with 860 votes total (41.1%) against Jonkiert and Hollis Gaines.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.delaware.gov/electionresults/pdfs/1996.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807001232/http://elections.delaware.gov/electionresults/pdfs/1996.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 7, 2015 |title=State of Delaware 1996 Election Results |date=November 5, 1996 |publisher=Delaware Department of Elections |department=Office of the State Election Commissioner |page=27 |accessdate=January 19, 2019}}</ref> She went on to win the general election with 3,326 votes (78.0%) against Republican nominee Michael Brown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.delaware.gov/electionresults/pdfs/1996.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807001232/http://elections.delaware.gov/electionresults/pdfs/1996.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 7, 2015 |title=State of Delaware 1996 Election Results |date=November 5, 1996 |publisher=Delaware Department of Elections |department=Office of the State Election Commissioner |page=5 |accessdate=January 19, 2019}}</ref> *In 1998, Keeley won the general election with 2,036 votes (79.6%) against Republican nominee Paul Falkowski.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect98/elect98_general/elect98_general_office.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 3, 1998 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= May 12, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130512041100/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect98/elect98_general/elect98_general_office.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2000, Keeley won a three-way Democratic primary with 1,189 votes (64.8%) against Linda Cannon and Paul Falkowski, who had switched his registration to the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect00/2000pofficial.shtml |title= State of Delaware Primary Election Official Results |date= September 9, 2000 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 5, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131105201825/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect00/2000pofficial.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> She was unopposed in the general election, winning 4,311 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect00/2000genofficial.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 7, 2000 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 12, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131112192402/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect00/2000genofficial.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2002, Keeley was redistricted to District 3 and won the general election with 2,153 votes (73.7%) against Republican nominee Calvin Brown.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect02/elect02_general/elect02_office.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 5, 2002 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 12, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131112192209/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect02/elect02_general/elect02_office.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2004, Keeley won the Democratic primary with 1,042 votes (73.0%) in a rematch against Linda Cannon,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect04/elect04_primary/elect04_primary_office.shtml |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061129125329/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect04/elect04_primary/elect04_primary_office.shtml |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 29, 2006 |title= State of Delaware Primary Election Official Results |date= September 11, 2004 |publisher=Delaware Department of Elections |department=Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013}}</ref> and was unopposed in the general election, winning 4,825 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect04/elect04_general/elect04_general_office.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 2, 2004 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 28, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181128160148/https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect04/elect04_general/elect04_general_office.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2006, Keeley won the Democratic primary with 600 votes (59.2%) against Robert Bovell,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect06/elect06_primary/elect06_primary_office.shtml |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061129125002/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect06/elect06_primary/elect06_primary_office.shtml |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 29, 2006 |title= State of Delaware Primary Election Official Results |date= September 12, 2006 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 }}</ref> and was unopposed in the general election, winning 2,828 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect06/elect06_general/html/elect06_general_office.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 7, 2006 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= May 28, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190528184435/https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect06/elect06_general/html/elect06_general_office.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2008, Keeley was unopposed for both the primary and general election, winning 5,419 votes in the general election.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect08/elect08_general_election/html/elect08_gen_office.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 4, 2008 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= May 28, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190528144158/https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect08/elect08_general_election/html/elect08_gen_office.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2010, Keeley won the Democratic primary with 736 votes (55.5%) in a rematch against Robert Bovell.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect10/elect10_Primary/html/election.shtml |title= State of Delaware Primary Election Official Results |date= September 17, 2010 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 5, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131105175436/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect10/elect10_Primary/html/election.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> She went on to win the general election with 3,375 votes (83.1%), also against Bovell, who was nominated as the Working Families Party candidate.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect10/elect10_General/html/election.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 2, 2010 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= March 3, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175242/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect10/elect10_General/html/election.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2012, Keeley was unopposed for both the primary and general election, winning 6,341 votes in the general election.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect12/elect12_general/html/election.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 6, 2012 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= November 12, 2013 |archive-date= November 3, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131103114518/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect12/elect12_general/html/election.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2014, Keeley won the general election with 2,477 (82.9%) in another rematch against Robert Bovell, who had switched his registration to the Republican Party.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect14/elect14_General/html/election.shtml |title= State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date= November 7, 2014 |publisher= Delaware Department of Elections |department= Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate= January 19, 2019 |archive-date= January 31, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230131212001/https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect14/elect14_General/html/election.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> *In 2016, Keeley was unopposed for both the primary and general election, winning 6,060 votes in the general election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect16/elect16_general/html/election.shtml |title=State of Delaware General Election Official Results |date=November 8, 2016 |publisher=Delaware Department of Elections |department=Office of the State Election Commissioner |accessdate=January 19, 2019 |archive-date=May 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528142341/https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect16/elect16_general/html/election.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://legis.delaware.gov/AssemblyMember/149/Keeley Official page] at the Delaware General Assembly * {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=12879 | fec= | congress= }}<!-- Links formerly displayed via the CongLinks template: * [http://ballotpedia.org/Helene_Keeley Biography] at Ballotpedia * [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=2896 Financial information (state office)] at the National Institute for Money in State Politics * -->
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-de-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Gerald Brady}} {{s-ttl|title=Speaker pro tempore of the Delaware House of Representatives|years=2015–2018}} {{s-non|reason=Position abolished}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keeley, Helene}} Category:1965 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party members of the Delaware House of Representatives Category:Politicians from Wilmington, Delaware Category:Women state legislators in Delaware Category:21st-century members of the Delaware General Assembly