Kelly Pajala
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Kelly Pajala
|image =
|state_house = Vermont
|district = Windham-Bennington-Windsor
|term_start = 2017
|term_end = July 25, 2024
|predecessor = Oliver Olsen
|successor = Christopher Morrow (elect)
|birth_name = Kelly MacLaury Pajala
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|12|15}}
|birth_place = Pennington, New Jersey, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Independent
|spouse =
|children = 2
|education = Skidmore College (BA)
|signature =
}}
Kelly MacLaury Pajala (born December 15, 1978) is an American politician who served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives from the Windham-Bennington-Windsor district as an independent.
Early life and education
Kelly MacLaury Pajala was born in Pennington, New Jersey, on December 15, 1978, and her family moved to Vermont when she was eleven. She graduated from the Burr and Burton Academy and Skidmore College with a Bachelor of Arts in women's studies.{{Cite news |title=Representative Kelly Pajala |work=Vermont General Assembly |url=https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/single/2022/29214 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217173014/https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/single/2022/29214 |archive-date=December 17, 2021}}{{Cite news |title=Kelly Pajala |work=Vermont Digger |url=https://vtdigger.org/candidate/kelly-pajala/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217174143/https://vtdigger.org/candidate/kelly-pajala/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021}} Pajala served as the assistant town clerk in Weston and town clerk in Londonderry, Vermont.{{Cite news |date=March 11, 2013 |title=Londonderry |page=11 |work=Rutland Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717410/rutland-daily-herald/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217171634/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717410/rutland-daily-herald/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=December 5, 2017 |title=New rep named |page=A5 |work=Rutland Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717990/rutland-daily-herald/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217172825/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717990/rutland-daily-herald/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Vermont House of Representatives
In 2017, Oliver Olsen, an independent member of the Vermont House of Representatives, resigned to focus on his business career. Governor Phil Scott appointed Pajala as she was also an independent.{{Cite news |date=October 15, 2017 |title=Walters: Oliver Olsen to Resign From House |work=Seven Days |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2017/10/15/walters-oliver-olsen-to-resign-from-house |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217172245/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2017/10/15/walters-oliver-olsen-to-resign-from-house |archive-date=December 17, 2021}}{{Cite news |date=December 4, 2017 |title=Londonderry town clerk appointed to vacated House seat |page=A5 |work=The Burlington Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717817/the-burlington-free-press/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217172533/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90717817/the-burlington-free-press/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}} She won in the 2018 and 2020 elections without opposition.{{Cite news |title=2018 State Representative General Election |work=Secretary of State of Vermont |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/134016/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217173439/https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/134016/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021}}{{Cite news |title=2020 State Representative General Election |work=Secretary of State of Vermont |url=https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/143512/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211217173616/https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/elections/view/143512/ |archive-date=December 17, 2021}} She serves on the Human Services committee.
Pajala resigned in July 2024 in order to take a position with FEMA.{{Cite web|url=https://vtdigger.org/2024/08/07/londonderrys-dual-town-clerk-and-state-legislator-resigns-to-work-for-fema/|title=Londonderry’s dual town clerk and state legislator resigns to work for FEMA|date=August 7, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/single/2024/29214|title=Representative Kelly Pajala|access-date=September 24, 2024}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change|title = 2018 Vermont House of Representatives Windham-Bennington-Windsor district election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Kelly Pajala (incumbent)
|votes = 1,852
|percentage = 98.62%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 26
|percentage = 1.38%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 1,878
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party =
|candidate = Blank and spoiled
|votes = 273
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title = 2020 Vermont House of Representatives Windham-Bennington-Windsor district election}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Kelly Pajala (incumbent)
|votes = 2,539
|percentage = 99.69%
}}
{{Election box write-in with party link no change
|votes = 8
|percentage = 0.31%
}}
{{Election box total no change
|votes = 2,547
|percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
|party =
|candidate = Blank and spoiled
|votes = 499
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pajala, Kelly}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
Category:Skidmore College alumni
Category:Women state legislators in Vermont
Category:21st-century members of the Vermont General Assembly
{{Vermont-politician-stub}}