Steven Reed (mayor)

Steven Reed
57th Mayor of Montgomery
Assumed office
November 12, 2019
Preceded byTodd Strange
Probate Judge of Montgomery County, Alabama
In office
November 6, 2012 – November 12, 2019
Preceded byReese McKinney, Jr
Succeeded byJ C Love, III
Personal details
Born (1974-02-20) February 20, 1974 (age 50)
Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationMorehouse College (BA)
Vanderbilt University (MBA)
Signature

Steven L. Reed (born February 20, 1974)[1] is an American jurist, politician, and the mayor of Montgomery, Alabama. A member of the Democratic Party, he was a probate judge in Montgomery County. Reed is the first black mayor of Montgomery.

Early life and education

Steven L. Reed[2] was born in Montgomery, Alabama, to Joe and Mollie Reed (née Perry) as one of three children. His father, Joe, was one of the first class of elected members of the Montgomery City Council from 1975 to 1999. Reed earned a Bachelor of Arts from Morehouse College and a Master of Business Administration from Vanderbilt University.

Reed is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, having been initiated into its Theta Alpha graduate chapter in 1998.[3]

Early career

He was a financial analyst, then changed careers and lobbied the Alabama legislature, and worked for Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom Jr.

Reed was elected as probate judge in 2012.[4] In February 2015, he was the first probate judge in the state of Alabama[5] who started issuing same-sex marriage licenses[4] after district judge Callie V. Granade struck the state's ban on same-sex marriage, defying Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.[6][7] In March 2015, after a ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court, he stopped issuing them.[5]

Mayor of Montgomery

Reed ran for mayor of Montgomery in the 2019 election, and defeated his opponent David Woods in a runoff.[8] He was officially sworn in as mayor on November 12, 2019.[9] Prior to being sworn in, Reed took part in a prayer service at the historic Dexter Avenue Baptist Church,[9] which gained notoriety at the start of the Civil rights movement for leading the Montgomery bus boycott.[10]

Reed ran for re-election in 2023, and defeated three opponents with 57% of the vote.[11]

Elections

Montgomery County Probate Judge

2012 Democratic Primary

2012 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Martin 2,984 17.95%
Democratic Steven L. Reed 13,640 82.05%
Total votes 16,624 100.0%

2012 General Election

2012 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Reese McKinney, Jr. 48,708 48.47%
Democratic Steven L. Reed 51,713 51.46%
Write-in 76 0.07%
Total votes 100,497 100.0%

2018 General Election

2018 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Steven L. Reed 53,480 98.53%
Write-in 796 1.47%
Total votes 54,276 100.0%

Montgomery Mayor

2019 First round

First round results[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Steven Reed 18,571 42.49
Nonpartisan David Woods 10,272 23.50
Nonpartisan Ed Crowell 5,272 12.06
Nonpartisan J. C. Love III 4,251 9.73
Nonpartisan Elton Norris Dean Sr. 1,835 4.20
Nonpartisan Artur Davis 1,784 4.08
Nonpartisan Victorrus Felder 879 2.01
Nonpartisan Shannon Ferrari 289 0.64
Nonpartisan Ronald L. Davis 186 0.43
Nonpartisan Bibby Simmons 156 0.36
Nonpartisan Butler Browder 127 0.29
Nonpartisan Hobson Cox 92 0.21

2019 Second round

Runoff results[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Steven Reed 32,918 67.2
Nonpartisan David Woods 16,010 32.7

2023 General

2023 Mayoral Election Results
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Steven Reed 22,906 56.9%
Nonpartisan Barrett Gilbreath 15,640 38.8%
Nonpartisan Victorrus Felder 1,336 3.3%
Nonpartisan Marcus McNeal 384 1.0%

References

  1. ^ "Alabama capital elects first black mayor in 200-year history". Associated Press. October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Plott, Elaina (December 25, 2020). "For a Civil Rights Hero, 90, a New Battle Unfolds on His Childhood Street". The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Omega Psi Phi's Steven Reed Was Just Elected The First Black Mayor of Montgomery, Alabama". Watch The Yard. October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Fausset, Richard; Perez-Pena, Richard; Wolfe, Kalyn (February 10, 2015). "Federal Judge Sets Hearing in Alabama on Same-Sex Marriage". The New York Times. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Moon, Josh Rick Harmon (March 4, 2015). "County Probate office won't issue same-sex marriage licenses". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  6. ^ MacNeal, Caitlyn (February 15, 2015). "Ala. Probate Judge Knocks Chief Justice: I'm On 'Right Side Of History'". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  7. ^ Edgemon, Erin (February 16, 2015). "Chief Justice Roy Moore's defiance to federal government 'places Alabama a step backwards,' says Montgomery probate judge". The Birmingham News. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  8. ^ MacNeil, Sara (August 27, 2019). "Steven Reed, David Woods head to runoff for Montgomery mayor". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Steven Reed sworn-in as Montgomery's first black mayor". WSFA. November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Dexter Avenue Baptist Church". NPS.gov. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  11. ^ Griesbach, Rebecca (August 23, 2023). "Steven Reed, Montgomery's first Black mayor, wins re-election: 'Old Montgomery ain't coming back'". al. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  12. ^ "Certification of Municipal Election for Mayor and City Council held in Montgomery, Alabama on August 27, 2019". City of Montgomery. September 3, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  13. ^ "Unofficial Results for 2019 Mayor/Council District 3,5 and 6 Elections". City Clerk of Montgomery, AL. October 8, 2019.

External links

  • Biography, Montgomery Mayor's Office
  • Campaign website
  • Steven L. Reed
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Montgomery
2019–present
Incumbent


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steven_Reed_(mayor)&oldid=1190148258"