Eddie Melton | |
Office: | 22nd Mayor of Gary, Indiana |
Term Start: | January 1, 2024 |
State Senate1: | Indiana |
District1: | 3rd |
Term Start1: | November 9, 2016 |
Term End1: | December 5, 2023 |
Predecessor1: | Earline S. Rogers |
Successor1: | David Vinzant |
Party: | Democratic |
Birth Date: | 26 January 1981 |
Birth Place: | Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
Alma Mater: | Calumet College of St. Joseph (BS) |
Spouse: | Crystal |
Residence: | Gary, Indiana |
Eddie Melton (born 1981) is an American politician from the state of Indiana, who was born in the city of Gary and is serving as the 22nd mayor of Gary, Indiana. A member of the Democratic Party, Melton served in the Indiana Senate as the Senator for Indiana Senate District 3. He also serves as Deputy Chair of the Indiana Democratic Party where he has focused on equity and inclusion.
Melton was born and raised in Gary, Indiana and graduated from Horace Mann High School. He started his secondary education at Kentucky State University before completing it as Calumet College of St. Joseph, graduating with a degree in organizational management.[1] [2] He served on the Indiana State Board of Education. Melton was elected to the state senate in 2016.[3] [4] In June 2019, he announced his candidacy for governor of Indiana in the 2020 election.[5] [6] but he ended his candidacy in January 2020.[7] In November 2020, Melton was elected as the Assistant Minority Floor Leader of the Indiana Senate.[8]
In November 2022, Melton declared his candidacy for mayor of Gary, Indiana, in the 2023 Democratic Party primary election.[9] Melton defeated incumbent mayor Jerome Prince on May 2, 2023, to win the Democratic nomination for mayor.[10] [11] He went on to defeat Republican challenger Andrew Delano in the November 7th general election.[12] Melton resigned from the State Senate on December 5, 2023 following his election as mayor.[13]