DeLon chosen to fill 2nd District vacancy

Tyler Juranovich, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
Updated ·2 min read

Jan. 29—The vacancy on the Kokomo City Council for its Second District seat caused by the death of Lynn Rudolph has been filled.

Joni DeLon was chosen last week by Howard County Republican precinct committee members at a party caucus to serve out the remainder of Rudolph's term, which ends Dec. 31. She was the only eligible candidate to file for the vacancy, according to a press release from the Howard County Republican Party.

According to the Howard County Clerk's Office, DeLon has also filed to run for the Republican nomination for the Second District of the City Council in this May's primary election. As of Friday, she's the only Republican or Democrat to file.

"Joni has been a prominent member of our community for many years as shown by her participation on numerous local boards and committees and her devoted service to many local nonprofits," Jennifer Jack, chairwoman for the county GOP, said in a statement. "Her professional backgrounds in business and marketing will serve the city of Kokomo well."

DeLon graduated from Jay County High School in 1976 and has college degrees from Ball State University and Cornell. She has lived in Kokomo since 1981. From 1976 to 2006, she worked in the corporate offices of Marsh Supermarkets. She then began working in health care, specifically long-term care.

She's active in many local organizations, including the Rotary Club of Kokomo and Kokomo Civic Theatre. She is on the Community Howard Regional Hospital Foundation board of directors, and was the event chair for Kokomo Alzheimer's Walk from 2007 to 2022. She is a member of Northview Church.

"In Rotary, we believe service above self, and that really has stuck with me," DeLon said. "I already regularly walk District Two, and so now I'll be able to go around and see the needs, talk to the people and just improve what I can."

DeLon said she's currently drafting her platform for this year's campaign season. She said of her main focuses will be trying to get money into the city budget to improve local roads in her district and some of the parks, including Mehlig, as well as continuing the growth of downtown Kokomo, the city's trail system and work to solve the food desert problem.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.