{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Margaret Kelly |image = Margaret B. Kelly.jpg |office = 33rd Auditor of Missouri |governor = Kit Bond<br>John Ashcroft<br>Mel Carnahan |term_start = July 16, 1984 |term_end = January 1999 |predecessor = James Antonio |successor = Claire McCaskill |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|9|17}} |birth_place = Crystal City, Missouri, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = University of Missouri {{small|(BS)}}<br/>Missouri State University {{small|(MBA)}} }} '''Margaret Blake Kelly''' (born September 17, 1935)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/bluebook/id/52006|title=Official Manual of the State of Missouri 1985-1986 |website=mdh.contentdm.oclc.org|access-date=June 1, 2023}}</ref> is an American former politician and accountant from Missouri.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/history/historicallistings/auditors|title=Missouri Auditors|website=www.sos.mo.gov|access-date=2023-06-01|archive-date=2023-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601213630/https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/history/historicallistings/auditors|url-status=live}}</ref>
Kelly served as the State Auditor of Missouri from 1984 to 1999. She is the first woman to hold statewide office in Missouri. Kelly is a Republican.
==Early life, education, and family== Kelly was born in Crystal City, Missouri to Emory and Florine Blake. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Missouri in 1957. Kelly also received an MBA from Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State University) in 1975 and earned her CPA certification in 1982. Kelly is married to William C. Kelly; the Kellys have three sons.<ref name="auto"/>
==Career== Before entering public life, Kelly worked for various private sector accounting firms for 20 years.<ref name="auto"/>
A Republican, Kelly's first elected position was as Cole County auditor. She was elected to that position in 1982.<ref name="auto"/>
Governor Kit Bond appointed Kelly to the position of state auditor, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of James F. Antonio.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/politics-issues/2010-09-28/retired-state-auditor-margaret-kelly-joins-schweich-on-campaign-swing|title=Retired state Auditor Margaret Kelly joins Schweich on campaign swing|last=Mannies |first=Jo |date=September 29, 2010|website=STLPublicRadio.org}}</ref> She was inaugurated on July 16, 1984. Kelly is the first woman to hold statewide elected office in Missouri.<ref name="auto"/> In November of that year, Harriett Woods was elected lieutenant governor, giving Woods the distinction of being the first woman elected to statewide office in Missouri.<ref name="auto1"/>
Kelly was elected to a full term as state auditor in 1986 and was re-elected in 1990 and 1994.<ref name="auto1"/> In 1992, Kelly was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, but was defeated by Democrat Roger B. Wilson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2012-04-12/federal-crime-blights-career-of-once-popular-politician|title=Federal crime blights career of once popular politician|date=April 12, 2012|website=STLPR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-missouri-governor-admits-guilt-in-campaign-contributions-case/article_b9cbffb6-84a7-11e1-afd6-0019bb30f31a.html|title=Former Missouri governor admits guilt in campaign contributions case|date=April 12, 2012|website=STLtoday.com|access-date=June 1, 2023|archive-date=June 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601213517/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-missouri-governor-admits-guilt-in-campaign-contributions-case/article_b9cbffb6-84a7-11e1-afd6-0019bb30f31a.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1996, she ran for governor against Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan, but lost by a large margin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=4&oid=1215&arc=1|title=Secretary of State: Elections|access-date=2006-02-12|archive-date=2007-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311104851/http://www.sos.mo.gov/enrweb/raceresults.asp?eid=4&oid=1215&arc=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
Kelly retired from public life after leaving office in January 1999.<ref name="auto1"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=James Antonio}} {{s-ttl|title=Auditor of Missouri|years=1984–1999}} {{s-aft|after=Claire McCaskill}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=James Antonio}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Auditor of Missouri|years=1986, 1990, 1994}} {{s-aft|after=Chuck Pierce}} |- {{s-bef|before=Richard Grisham}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Missouri|years=1992}} {{s-aft|after=Bill Kenney}} |- {{s-bef|before=William Webster}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of Missouri|years=1996}} {{s-aft|after=Jim Talent}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Margaret B.}} Category:1935 births Category:21st-century American women Category:Living people Category:Missouri Republicans Category:Missouri State University alumni Category:People from Crystal City, Missouri Category:People from Cole County, Missouri Category:State auditors of Missouri Category:University of Missouri alumni Category:Women in Missouri politics Category:20th-century Missouri politicians Category:20th-century American women politicians