So can anyone help me: my ether has been received but no key generated. How can I be sure I will receive a key before the ICO completes? This has been for around 4 hours... My previous transfers and key generation occurred instantly

I don't know, why you shouldn't be able to create a key after ICO... there are some problems, that will be probably fixed.

Now I see why the launch isn't until 1-3 weeks.  To give people time to get their keys and passphrases.

...
Fix comes soon.

From a game theory standpoint, you would then take away your 4% vote from delegates ranked above you to get back in the top 101.  It is an iterative process with more than 101 voters who are constantly adjusting their votes to meet the twin goals of  getting 101 people in place that are needed to run the system while  staying in that group of 101 themselves.  Eventually it stabilizes.  It's not just your voting power that counts, no matter what your voting power is.