Jo Ella Hoye

Kansas State House District 17

2020 Race Update: Jo Ella won 50.93% to 45.87%

Jo Ella Hoye listened to a 9-1-1 call in November 2015 when a woman warned Colorado Springs dispatchers of a man carrying a rifle, handgun, and a can of gas. The woman called back a few minutes later…the armed man shot and killed three people before having a shootout with police. It was the final straw. Jo Ella felt that her background in nonpartisan, professional local government management would be beneficial to a growing gun violence prevention movement; she joined Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America that night.

Jo Ella has been a dedicated advocate for the safety of children and families, and her journey has led her here. She’s seen firsthand what can be accomplished when people make their voices heard in Topeka. Jo Ella is running for the Kansas House of Representatives to elevate the voices of Kansans and continue to fight for change. All Kansans want to keep their families safe, and they can do that with the second amendment and sensible gun laws that save lives. Born in Lincoln, NE, Jo Ella is a graduate of Nebraska City High School and Cornell College. She earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. Jo Ella lives in Lenexa with her husband, Brian, and their second grader, William.