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Kamela Smith
Kamela Smith (Democratic Party) is a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing District 15. She assumed office on November 6, 2024. Her current term ends on November 3, 2026.
Smith (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Delaware House of Representatives to represent District 15. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kamela Smith earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994. Smith has been affiliated with the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Seeds of Greatness Bible Church, the Host and Hostess ministry, the Financial Peace University, Keys to Freedom, Gilliam Fellowship, and Kalmar Nyckel Foundation.[1]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Delaware House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Delaware House of Representatives District 15
Kamela Smith won election in the general election for Delaware House of Representatives District 15 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kamela Smith (D)  | 100.0 | 9,286 |
| Total votes: 9,286 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 15
Kamela Smith defeated incumbent Valerie Longhurst in the Democratic primary for Delaware House of Representatives District 15 on September 10, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kamela Smith | 53.3 | 1,453 |
 | Valerie Longhurst | 46.7 | 1,273 | |
| Total votes: 2,726 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Smith in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kamela Smith completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Smith's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Though I'm not a native of Delaware, my family relocated from Philadelphia over 20 years ago in search of a safer environment, a better education system, and new opportunities. Delaware quickly became our home, where my children grew up in the public and vocational technical education systems, and where my family flourished.
As a single parent and working mom, I understand firsthand the challenges of balancing work, family health, and financial stability. I'm committed to advocating for policies that alleviate this pressure on families.
With over 25 years in public healthcare field, I’ve seen the systemic issues that affect our communities. I’ve witnessed the decline in quality of life for my neighbors under the same leadership that’s been in place since I first moved here. That’s why I’m running to be your next State Representative for District 15. It’s time for real change and a new direction for the community I call home.- I will work to ensure that all Delawareans have access to comprehensive, affordable, and high-quality health care and wellness services. Health care is a fundamental right. I will advocate for expanding access to affordable health care for all residents. This includes supporting the expansion of Medicaid, reducing prescription drug costs, exploring options for a statewide public option to lower marketplace insurance costs and increase access to cover all Delawareans. Mental health is as important as physical health, and I will work to increase funding for mental health services, integrate mental health care into primary care settings, and expand access to counseling and support services.
- I believe everyone has the right to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment. As a committed advocate for environmental justice and sustainability, I will prioritize building a resilient, green economy while ensuring that the impacts of development do not harm our most vulnerable communities. I will champion efforts to transition Delaware to a Green State by investing in renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar.
- Our neighborhoods should be safe places to work and play for our families. We must address the prison industrial complex and the root causes of crime. Ensuring that our police do not have to enter situations that mental health providers or social workers would be better equipped to handle remains essential. I will advocate for comprehensive re-entry programs that provide education, job training, mental health services, and housing assistance to formerly incarcerated individuals. Additionally, I will support measures to increase transparency and accountability within police departments, including the use of body cameras, independent oversight of misconduct, and regular public reporting.
I will support policies that strengthen labor protections, ensure fair scheduling, and guarantee paid family and medical leave. Empowering workers through collective bargaining and stronger labor laws will create a more just workplace and enhance economic security for all.
The governor and legislature must function as partners in progress, united in their efforts to deliver real results for the people. This requires open lines of communication, active listening, and a willingness to engage in healthy debate.
Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive strategy that includes expanding affordable housing options, implementing rent stabilization measures, and ensuring that developers prioritize community needs over profit. We must strengthen protections for tenants and increase investment in housing programs that support low-income families. Addressing the housing crisis is essential for creating a community where everyone, regardless of income, can live with dignity, stability, and opportunity.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Delaware scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Delaware House of Representatives District 15 |
Officeholder Delaware House of Representatives District 15 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 17, 2024
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Valerie Longhurst (D) |
Delaware House of Representatives District 15 2024-Present |
Succeeded by - |
