⏲︎ This article is more than a year old.

State Rep. Sue Helm, who is in the home stretch of her eighth term representing the 104th State House District, has announced she will not seek reelection this year.

Helm, a Republican from Susquehanna Township, has represented the district for nearly 16 years.

The 104th district currently spans a large chunk of Dauphin County and two municipalities – North Annville and East Hanover townships – in Lebanon County. However, the district was recently redrawn and now includes a larger population of Dauphin County Democrats and no longer covers any portion of Lebanon County.

Helm announced her decision to retire from the Legislature on her website and on Facebook on Monday, March 21.

“Providing my neighbors with a strong voice in the state Capitol and here in the district was always my No. 1 priority,” Helm said in her statement. “I will always cherish the relationships I’ve made and appreciate the trust given to me by my constituents.”

Her term ends Nov. 30. She joins several Republican lawmakers, including Lebanon County Rep. Frank Ryan, Lancaster County Rep. Dave Hickernell, and Dauphin County Rep. Andrew Lewis, in deciding not to run for another term.

Read More: Who will replace Frank Ryan in the 101st District? Candidates are slow to step up

In her statement, she included among her accomplishments an initiative recognizing Juneteenth National Freedom Day as an official observance in Pennsylvania, starting in 2019. In Lebanon County, she provided support for Bellegrove Fire Company and volunteer firefighters with an annual grant of $30,000.

“My focus over the next few months will remain on being the best representative I can be until my last day in office,” Helm said in the release. “I will never stop advocating for the residents and communities I serve.”

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Tom has been a professional journalist for nearly four decades. In his spare time, he plays fiddle with the Irish band Fire in the Glen, and he reviews music, books and movies for Rambles.NET. He lives with his wife, Michelle, and has four children: Vinnie, Molly, Annabelle and Wolf.