Melton for the People
Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Eddie Melton’s commitment to his hometown has shaped every chapter of his life and career. From working in social services and mentoring at-risk youth to serving in the Indiana State Senate, Eddie has built a life of public service. Now, as Mayor of Gary, he continues that work by expanding opportunity, strengthening communities and improving the quality of life for the people he serves.
For Eddie, Gary has never simply been the place he represents. “Gary is home.”
Eddie D. Melton has spent his career in community development, youth advocacy, business and public service. He attended Jefferson Elementary, Beckman Junior High and Horace Mann High School before earning an athletic scholarship to Kentucky State University, where he played quarterback and studied business management. He later earned a degree in organizational management from Calumet College of St. Joseph.
Melton’s professional career has included leadership roles with the Legacy Foundation and NIPSCO, as well as service on the Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males and the Indiana State Board of Education. His work with young people and community organizations helped shape a public-service career focused on expanding opportunity and strengthening communities.
In 2016, following the retirement of longtime State Senator Earline Rogers, Melton was elected to succeed her as the State Senator representing Indiana’s 3rd District. Rogers, who had represented the district in the Indiana Senate for more than 25 years, endorsed Melton as her preferred successor. Melton was re-elected in 2020 and, during nearly eight years in the Senate, rose to Assistant Senate Democratic Leader and served as ranking minority member of the Appropriations and State Budget Committee. His legislative work included education, economic development and initiatives aimed at strengthening Gary and Northwest Indiana.
In 2023, Melton authored Senate Bill 434, establishing new funding mechanisms for blight removal in Gary, revitalization of the Gary Metro Center and development of a Lake County convention and event center. The legislation would later provide the foundation for projects moving forward after he became mayor.
After defeating incumbent Mayor Jerome Prince in the May 2023 Democratic primary, Melton won the November general election. He was sworn in as Gary’s 22nd mayor on December 30, 2023, and took office January 1, 2024.
As mayor, Melton has focused his administration on public safety, economic development, neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure and city services.
One of the largest projects advanced during his administration is the new Lake County Convention Center. In May 2025, Lake County selected Gary as the site for the planned 145,000-square-foot convention center near Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. The project is supported by gaming revenue, state matching funds made possible through Senate Bill 434 and a $30 million commitment from Hard Rock. Plans also include an estimated 300-room hotel.
Gary has also attracted a $60 million FedEx distribution center near the Gary/Chicago International Airport. Construction began in 2025 on the 317,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to create approximately 600 jobs.
The administration has pursued long-standing infrastructure and neighborhood challenges as well. Gary launched the citywide Relight the City initiative to repair and modernize streetlights, with more than 1,000 fixtures converted to LED and additional repairs and replacements completed before the program expanded to aging traffic signals. The city also secured a $15 million READI 2.0 investment for downtown revitalization and blight elimination while continuing neighborhood demolition efforts targeting unsafe structures.
Public-safety statistics also improved during Melton’s first years in office. Gary recorded 28 homicides in 2025, down 30 percent from 2024 and the city’s lowest total since 1970. Nonfatal shootings declined from 133 in 2024 to 101 in 2025, while the Gary Police Department reported improved investigative outcomes and homicide clearance rates.
In August 2026, Melton’s administration faced one of its most significant emergencies when severe storms and a derecho brought destructive winds, flooding, fallen trees and widespread power outages to Gary and Northwest Indiana. The city declared a local disaster emergency, coordinated emergency response and large-scale debris removal, and worked with state and federal officials as Lake County sought disaster assistance. A federal Major Disaster Declaration ultimately made residents and public agencies eligible for FEMA Individual and Public Assistance.
The city also partnered with the Legacy Foundation and CoAction to create an emergency household assistance program for Gary residents affected by the storm and prolonged outages. By September 2026, $500,000 had been mobilized for direct household assistance, with the program expected to reach more than 1,100 families.
From the Indiana Senate to Gary City Hall, Melton’s public-service career has remained closely tied to his hometown and to projects addressing economic development, public safety, infrastructure and neighborhood reinvestment.
Eddie lives in Gary with his wife, Crystal, and their four children.
