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.
Steven Reed | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 57th Mayor of Montgomery | |
| Assumed office November 12, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Todd Strange |
| Probate Judge of Montgomery County, Alabama | |
| In office November 6, 2012 – November 12, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Reese McKinney, Jr |
| Succeeded by | J C Love, III |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 20, 1974 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Tamika Reed |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Morehouse College (BA) Vanderbilt University (MBA) |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
Early life and education
editSteven 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
editHe 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
editReed 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
editMontgomery County Probate Judge
edit2012 Democratic Primary
edit| 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
edit| 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
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steven L. Reed | 53,480 | 98.53% | |
| Write-in | 796 | 1.47% | ||
| Total votes | 54,276 | 100.0% | ||
Montgomery Mayor
edit2019 First round
edit| 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
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Steven Reed | 32,918 | 67.2 | |
| Nonpartisan | David Woods | 16,010 | 32.7 | |
2023 General
edit| 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
edit- ^ "Alabama capital elects first black mayor in 200-year history". Associated Press. October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ MacNeil, Sara (August 27, 2019). "Steven Reed, David Woods head to runoff for Montgomery mayor". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- ^ a b "Steven Reed sworn-in as Montgomery's first black mayor". WSFA. November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ "Dexter Avenue Baptist Church". NPS.gov. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Unofficial Results for 2019 Mayor/Council District 3,5 and 6 Elections". City Clerk of Montgomery, AL. October 8, 2019.
External links
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