[4][7][8] After the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution giving women the right to vote, Keliʻinoi entered politics with the assistance of her husband and Hawaii Senator Charles Atwood Rice.

[10] The Honolulu Star Bulletin reported on Keliinoi's election win: “When the 13th territorial legislature convenes next February the first woman representative in the history of Hawaii will take her seat.

She is Mrs. Rosalie Keliinoi of Kapaa, Kauai who was nominated at the primary as one of four Republican candidates out of a total of 14 contestants and who came second on the ticket at the general election.

Mrs. Keliinoi is particularly interested in education and health matters, such as the control of tuberculosis, prevention of malnutrition and the reduction of infant mortality.” [11] Keliʻinoi served in the 1925 session of the Hawaii Territorial Legislature, as the only female member.

[3] Finally, she had a bill passed that issued back-pay for Kaua'i public school teacher, Adelaide M. Baggott (Act 68).