Kasim Reed
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, (born June 10, 1969) is a Democratic
politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives
from 1998 to 2002. After serving as campaign manager for Shirley Franklin
's successful 2001 Atlanta Mayoral campaign, he ran for the position in 2009 since Franklin was term limit
ed. He was one of two candidates to advance from the November 3 general election
to a December 1, 2009 runoff election, which he won and was officially inaugurated as Mayor of Atlanta on January 4, 2010.
In college, he instituted a student fee that has added millions of dollars to the Howard University
endowment since its inception in 1991. In 2003, he was involved with the effort to prevent the Georgia State Senate from considering reinserting the battle emblem of the Confederate States of America
in the official State Flag of Georgia.
, but his family moved to Fulton County, Georgia
when he was an infant. After Reed graduated from Fulton County's Utoy Springs Elementary School and Westlake High School
, he attended Howard University
. During a takeover of the Howard administration building in 1989, sophomore Reed served as an intermediary to attempt to convince Howard officials not to accept Republican National Committee
Chairman Lee Atwater
's resignation from the University Board of Trustees. Also, as a sophomore, he made US$40,000 as an entrepreneur
running a jewelry business that he started at age sixteen.
In 1990 Reed was invited to comment on the Persian Gulf War
military buildup on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Also, in November of that year he was featured in Black Enterprise
.
While he was an undergraduate student majoring in political science
, he interned for Joseph Patrick Kennedy II
. During his internship he learned about a Federal dollar-for-dollar matching grant
program. Then, as a senior and the undergraduate trustee
on the University's Board of Trustees, he instituted a US$15/semester student fee increase that the federal taxpayers would match, with the monies being earmarked toward the university endowment. The fees were expected to total nearly $300,000 per semester. The estimate was conservative in the sense that it only assumes the fees from slightly more than 75% of the 12,000 students. The four year totals would approach a $2.4 million dollar addition to the endowment. Reed earned a bachelor of arts
degree in political science in 1991. He then earned his juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law
in 1995.
Mayor Reed continues to serve Howard's Board of Trustees.
. Reed was the leading vote-getter with 36.6% of the vote, finishing well ahead of community leaders Horace Mann Bond and Eric V. Thomas, the second and third place finishers respectively. This resulted in a head-to-head August 11 run-off election, which Reed won with 60.6% of the vote, against second place finisher, Horace Mann Bond II, who had received 19.1% of the vote in July. In the November 3 general election, he was unopposed.
In his 2000 re-election campaign, Clarence Canty, who is the son of Henrietta, contested the seat, and Reed won the July 18, 2000 Democratic Primary by a 77.0%–12.7% margin. In the November 7, 2000 general election, he was again unopposed. In the House of Representatives, he represented a predominately African-American constituency in south Atlanta. Reed served as a member of the House Judiciary, Education, and Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment Committees.
While in office, in 2001 Reed served as the campaign manager
in Shirley Franklin
's successful election campaign to become the 58th Mayor of Atlanta. As a campaign manager in an election occurring in the shadow of the September 11 attacks, he surveyed potential voters' perceptions of the propriety of the campaign's advertising broadcasts because at the time certain ads were thought to focus on sensitive topics. After winning the election, Franklin chose Reed as one of two co-chairs on her transition team. In this role he was charged with identifying and reviewing candidates for cabinet
-level positions.
In the 2000 election the 52nd House district had been entirely contained in Fulton County. After the decennary redistricting
, the district by this number was entirely within DeKalb County, Georgia
in the November 5, 2002 election, which was won by Fran Millar.
and a field of other contenders for the Georgia's 13th congressional district
, which was created after the 2000 Census when Georgia added two new congressional districts. When Reed first ran for election in the 35 state senate district in 2002 Democratic Primary, it included 19 precinct
s in Douglas County, Georgia
and 333 in Fulton County. The district includes the southern portion of Fulton County (Atlanta
, Alpharetta
, College Park
, East Point
, Fairburn
, Hapeville
, Mountain Park
, Palmetto
, Roswell
, Sandy Springs
, and Union City
) and the northeast portion of Douglas County (Douglasville
, and Lithia Springs
). Reed won the district's five-way August 20, 2002 primary with 65.8% of the vote, and then he was uncontested in the November 5, 2002 general election. In 2004, James contested Reed for the seat she had held before him, but he won the July 20, 2004 Democratic primary election by a 58.8%–41.2% margin. He was uncontested in the November 2, 2004 general election, and he has been uncontested in his 2006 and 2008 primary and general elections.
In January 2006, Reed introduced a bill to authorize scholastic teaching of the textbook
The Bible and Its Influence by the non-partisan, ecumenical Bible Literacy Project. The bible curriculum bill, which came a few years after Democrats opposed Republican attempts to promote teaching a translation of the scriptures, was an attempt to preempt a Republican attempt to display the Ten Commandments
in schools. Faith is an area where Georgia Democrats differ from the national party. The bill passed in the State Senate by a 50–1 margin on February 3, and it eventually became law.
Reed's committee assignments are the following: Senate Judiciary Committee, Special Judiciary Committee, Ethics Committee, Transportation Committee and the State and Local Government Operations Committee. He also serves as vice-chairman of the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus. He has also served the Georgia Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as its chairman. In addition, he is a partner
at Holland & Knight LLP. Previously, he worked in the music industry for Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP.
Since the 1990s, the official State Flag of Georgia has been a controversial issue. After 2001 changes to the flag led by then-Governor of Georgia Roy Barnes
, the governor was said to have been defeated by the political backlash. The 1956 version with the Confederate States of America
battle emblem, known as a St. Andrew's cross
, was a continuing topic of debate for southern heritage proponents. Reed served as one of Governor Sonny Perdue
's floor leaders in debates that led to the ratification of the current (2003) version of the state flag.
Reed's leadership in dealmaking with Senate Republicans kept the 1956 version of the flag off Perdue's statewide referendum
on the flag in 2003. The referendum was originally a two-part referendum pitting the 2001 version of the flag against the proposed version and conditional on failed ratification of a new flag considering other flags including the 1956 version. Under this format if the legislators did not approve the newly designed flag over the existing one they could have pursued other designs including the one with the controversial 1956 version of the flag. Reed and a contingent of black legislators from Atlanta limited the referendum to a single vote of preference between the 2003 version and the 2001 version.
Georgia Democratic primary
, Reed endorsed Barack Obama
. In March 2008, Reed announced an exploratory committee, named ONE Atlanta, to investigate his viability as a candidate in the 2009 Atlanta Mayoral election. Two-term incumbent
Mayor Franklin was term limit
ed and could not run again. His exploratory committee announcement was coupled with an announcement that he would be pursuing a Hillary Clinton style coalition-building tour. During the summer of 2008, ONE Atlanta announced that the exploratory committee had become a formal campaign committee.
On May 21, 2009, Reed caused controversy in Atlanta's GLBT community when he stated that he supported civil unions for gays, but not gay marriage. On September 1 Reed resigned his from the Georgia Senate to run for mayor. No candidate won a majority in the November 3 general election, and Donzella James defeated Torrey O. Johnson in the runoff election on December 1 to replace Reed.
In the November 3, 2009 election, Reed qualified for a December 1 runoff election against Mary Norwood
. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
, Reed had a winning majority in the runoff election that seemed destined to be contested by a recount. The New York Times
described the race as too close to call with 98-99% of the votes counted and Reed leading by only 620 of the 84,000 votes cast. On December 9 after the completion of a recount Reed was declared the winner by a margin of 714 votes, after which Mary Norwood officially conceded. Reed took office on January 4, 2010.
Thomas Friedman
has praised Reed in the New York Times for balancing the city's budget by limiting the pensions of city employees. This money was instead spent on the police force, as well as on community centers in poor neighborhoods (rather than on reversing the 42% increase in propery taxes passed in 2009). He praises Reed as "combining a soft touch with a hard head."
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
from 1998 to 2002. After serving as campaign manager for Shirley Franklin
Shirley Franklin
Shirley Clarke Franklin is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002 to 2010...
's successful 2001 Atlanta Mayoral campaign, he ran for the position in 2009 since Franklin was term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
ed. He was one of two candidates to advance from the November 3 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
to a December 1, 2009 runoff election, which he won and was officially inaugurated as Mayor of Atlanta on January 4, 2010.
In college, he instituted a student fee that has added millions of dollars to the Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
endowment since its inception in 1991. In 2003, he was involved with the effort to prevent the Georgia State Senate from considering reinserting the battle emblem of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
in the official State Flag of Georgia.
Education
Reed was born in Plainfield, New JerseyPlainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
, but his family moved to Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
when he was an infant. After Reed graduated from Fulton County's Utoy Springs Elementary School and Westlake High School
Westlake High School (Fulton County, Georgia)
Westlake High School is a secondary school located in unincorporated Fulton County, Georgia, United States. The school has an Atlanta, Georgia address but is outside of the Atlanta city limits...
, he attended Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
. During a takeover of the Howard administration building in 1989, sophomore Reed served as an intermediary to attempt to convince Howard officials not to accept Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
Chairman Lee Atwater
Lee Atwater
Harvey LeRoy "Lee" Atwater was an American political consultant and strategist to the Republican Party. He was an advisor of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and Chairman of the Republican National Committee.-Childhood and early life:...
's resignation from the University Board of Trustees. Also, as a sophomore, he made US$40,000 as an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
running a jewelry business that he started at age sixteen.
In 1990 Reed was invited to comment on the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
military buildup on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Also, in November of that year he was featured in Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise is a monthly U.S. magazine which describes itself as "the premier business news and investment resource for African Americans" and claims a readership of 3.7 million. It was founded in 1970 by Earl G. Graves, Sr.. The publication is known for its annual listing of the largest...
.
While he was an undergraduate student majoring in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, he interned for Joseph Patrick Kennedy II
Joseph Patrick Kennedy II
Joseph Patrick Kennedy II is an American businessman and Democratic politician.He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 8th congressional district of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1999. In 1979 he founded and led until election to the U.S...
. During his internship he learned about a Federal dollar-for-dollar matching grant
Matching funds
Matching funds, a term used to describe the requirement or condition that a generally minimal amount of money or services-in-kind originate from the beneficiaries of financial amounts, usually for a purpose of charitable or public good.-Charitable causes:...
program. Then, as a senior and the undergraduate trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
on the University's Board of Trustees, he instituted a US$15/semester student fee increase that the federal taxpayers would match, with the monies being earmarked toward the university endowment. The fees were expected to total nearly $300,000 per semester. The estimate was conservative in the sense that it only assumes the fees from slightly more than 75% of the 12,000 students. The four year totals would approach a $2.4 million dollar addition to the endowment. Reed earned a bachelor of arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in political science in 1991. He then earned his juris doctorate from Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Howard University. Located in Washington, D.C., it is one the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest historically black college or university law school in the United States...
in 1995.
Mayor Reed continues to serve Howard's Board of Trustees.
State Representative
In 1998, Henrietta Canty (1975–80, 1990–98), resigned her Georgia House of Representatives 52nd district seat to run for Georgia State Insurance Commissioner. Seven candidates vied for her seat in the July 21, 1998 Democratic primary electionPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. Reed was the leading vote-getter with 36.6% of the vote, finishing well ahead of community leaders Horace Mann Bond and Eric V. Thomas, the second and third place finishers respectively. This resulted in a head-to-head August 11 run-off election, which Reed won with 60.6% of the vote, against second place finisher, Horace Mann Bond II, who had received 19.1% of the vote in July. In the November 3 general election, he was unopposed.
In his 2000 re-election campaign, Clarence Canty, who is the son of Henrietta, contested the seat, and Reed won the July 18, 2000 Democratic Primary by a 77.0%–12.7% margin. In the November 7, 2000 general election, he was again unopposed. In the House of Representatives, he represented a predominately African-American constituency in south Atlanta. Reed served as a member of the House Judiciary, Education, and Congressional and Legislative Reapportionment Committees.
While in office, in 2001 Reed served as the campaign manager
Campaign manager
A campaign manager is a paid or volunteer individual, whose role is to coordinate the campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vote , and other activities supporting the effort, directly.Apart from the candidate, they are often a campaign's most visible leader...
in Shirley Franklin
Shirley Franklin
Shirley Clarke Franklin is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002 to 2010...
's successful election campaign to become the 58th Mayor of Atlanta. As a campaign manager in an election occurring in the shadow of the September 11 attacks, he surveyed potential voters' perceptions of the propriety of the campaign's advertising broadcasts because at the time certain ads were thought to focus on sensitive topics. After winning the election, Franklin chose Reed as one of two co-chairs on her transition team. In this role he was charged with identifying and reviewing candidates for cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
-level positions.
In the 2000 election the 52nd House district had been entirely contained in Fulton County. After the decennary redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, the district by this number was entirely within DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
in the November 5, 2002 election, which was won by Fran Millar.
State Senator
In 2000, the 35th Georgia State Senate District was entirely contained in Fulton County and Donzella James was an uncontested Democrat the November 7 general election. In 2002, four-term incumbent State Senator James vacated the seat and contested David ScottDavid Scott (politician)
David A. Scott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:Scott was born in Aynor, South Carolina and attended high school in Daytona Beach, Florida...
and a field of other contenders for the Georgia's 13th congressional district
Georgia's 13th congressional district
Georgia's 13th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. The district is located in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area and encircles the city and includes Smyrna, Mableton, Douglasville, and Union City....
, which was created after the 2000 Census when Georgia added two new congressional districts. When Reed first ran for election in the 35 state senate district in 2002 Democratic Primary, it included 19 precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
s in Douglas County, Georgia
Douglas County, Georgia
Douglas County, Georgia has been experiencing numerous natural disasters over the most recent decades. Being located in the South Eastern United States the county experiences strong storms and tornadoes often because of its location in Dixie Alley....
and 333 in Fulton County. The district includes the southern portion of Fulton County (Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Alpharetta
Alpharetta, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,854 people, 13,911 households, and 8,916 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,631.6 people per square mile . There were 14,670 housing units at an average density of 686.7 per square mile...
, College Park
College Park, Georgia
College Park is a city located partly in Fulton County, Georgia and partially in Clayton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,942...
, East Point
East Point, Georgia
The city of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712...
, Fairburn
Fairburn, Georgia
Fairburn is a city in Fulton County, Georgia. The population was 12,950 at the 2010 census.- History :Fairburn is located along a railroad line and was once the county seat for Campbell County, Georgia, starting in 1870...
, Hapeville
Hapeville, Georgia
Hapeville is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States, located directly adjacent to the city of Atlanta. The population was 6,373 at the 2010 census. It is named for Dr...
, Mountain Park
Mountain Park, Georgia
Mountain Park is the name of two places in the state of Georgia in the United States of America:*Mountain Park, Fulton County, Georgia *Mountain Park, Gwinnett County, Georgia...
, Palmetto
Palmetto, Georgia
Palmetto is a city located mostly in Fulton County and now partly in Coweta County in the U.S. state of Georgia...
, Roswell
Roswell, Georgia
Roswell is a city located in northern Fulton County; it is a suburb of northern Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The 2010 Census population was 88,346. It is the eighth largest city in Georgia...
, Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
, and Union City
Union City, Georgia
Union City is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 19,456 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Union City is located at ....
) and the northeast portion of Douglas County (Douglasville
Douglasville, Georgia
The city of Douglasville is the county seat of Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 30,961...
, and Lithia Springs
Lithia Springs, Georgia
Lithia Springs is an unincorporated area, formerly incorporated as a city, located in northeastern Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,072. The city is named for its historic Lithia Springs springs.Incorporated in 1882, Lithia...
). Reed won the district's five-way August 20, 2002 primary with 65.8% of the vote, and then he was uncontested in the November 5, 2002 general election. In 2004, James contested Reed for the seat she had held before him, but he won the July 20, 2004 Democratic primary election by a 58.8%–41.2% margin. He was uncontested in the November 2, 2004 general election, and he has been uncontested in his 2006 and 2008 primary and general elections.
In January 2006, Reed introduced a bill to authorize scholastic teaching of the textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
The Bible and Its Influence by the non-partisan, ecumenical Bible Literacy Project. The bible curriculum bill, which came a few years after Democrats opposed Republican attempts to promote teaching a translation of the scriptures, was an attempt to preempt a Republican attempt to display the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
in schools. Faith is an area where Georgia Democrats differ from the national party. The bill passed in the State Senate by a 50–1 margin on February 3, and it eventually became law.
Reed's committee assignments are the following: Senate Judiciary Committee, Special Judiciary Committee, Ethics Committee, Transportation Committee and the State and Local Government Operations Committee. He also serves as vice-chairman of the Georgia Senate Democratic Caucus. He has also served the Georgia Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee as its chairman. In addition, he is a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
at Holland & Knight LLP. Previously, he worked in the music industry for Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP.
Georgia State flag
Roy Barnes
Roy Eugene Barnes served as the 80th Governor of Georgia from January 1999 until January 2003. Barnes was also a candidate for Governor of Georgia in the 2010 election....
, the governor was said to have been defeated by the political backlash. The 1956 version with the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
battle emblem, known as a St. Andrew's cross
Saltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
, was a continuing topic of debate for southern heritage proponents. Reed served as one of Governor Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
's floor leaders in debates that led to the ratification of the current (2003) version of the state flag.
Reed's leadership in dealmaking with Senate Republicans kept the 1956 version of the flag off Perdue's statewide referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on the flag in 2003. The referendum was originally a two-part referendum pitting the 2001 version of the flag against the proposed version and conditional on failed ratification of a new flag considering other flags including the 1956 version. Under this format if the legislators did not approve the newly designed flag over the existing one they could have pursued other designs including the one with the controversial 1956 version of the flag. Reed and a contingent of black legislators from Atlanta limited the referendum to a single vote of preference between the 2003 version and the 2001 version.
Candidate for Atlanta Mayor
A month before the February 5, 2008 Super TuesdaySuper Tuesday, 2008
Super Tuesday 2008, Super Duper Tuesday, Mega Tuesday, Giga Tuesday, Tsunami Tuesday, and The Tuesday of Destiny are names for February 5, 2008, the day on which the largest simultaneous number of state U.S. presidential primary elections in the history of U.S. primaries were held...
Georgia Democratic primary
Georgia Democratic primary, 2008
The Georgia Democratic Presidential Primary took place on Super Tuesday, February 5, 2008, and had a total of 87 delegates at stake. The winner in each of Georgia's 13 congressional districts was awarded all of that district's delegates, totaling 57. Another 30 delegates were awarded to the...
, Reed endorsed Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. In March 2008, Reed announced an exploratory committee, named ONE Atlanta, to investigate his viability as a candidate in the 2009 Atlanta Mayoral election. Two-term incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Mayor Franklin was term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
ed and could not run again. His exploratory committee announcement was coupled with an announcement that he would be pursuing a Hillary Clinton style coalition-building tour. During the summer of 2008, ONE Atlanta announced that the exploratory committee had become a formal campaign committee.
On May 21, 2009, Reed caused controversy in Atlanta's GLBT community when he stated that he supported civil unions for gays, but not gay marriage. On September 1 Reed resigned his from the Georgia Senate to run for mayor. No candidate won a majority in the November 3 general election, and Donzella James defeated Torrey O. Johnson in the runoff election on December 1 to replace Reed.
In the November 3, 2009 election, Reed qualified for a December 1 runoff election against Mary Norwood
Mary Norwood
Mary Norwood was a 2009 mayoral candidate in Atlanta and a city councilwoman in Atlanta, Georgia, representing Post 2 At Large. Norwood was elected to the Atlanta City Council in 2001.-2009 Atlanta mayoral election:...
. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
, Reed had a winning majority in the runoff election that seemed destined to be contested by a recount. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described the race as too close to call with 98-99% of the votes counted and Reed leading by only 620 of the 84,000 votes cast. On December 9 after the completion of a recount Reed was declared the winner by a margin of 714 votes, after which Mary Norwood officially conceded. Reed took office on January 4, 2010.
Thomas Friedman
Thomas Friedman
Thomas Lauren Friedman is an American journalist, columnist and author. He writes a twice-weekly column for The New York Times. He has written extensively on foreign affairs including global trade, the Middle East, and environmental issues and has won the Pulitzer Prize three times.-Personal...
has praised Reed in the New York Times for balancing the city's budget by limiting the pensions of city employees. This money was instead spent on the police force, as well as on community centers in poor neighborhoods (rather than on reversing the 42% increase in propery taxes passed in 2009). He praises Reed as "combining a soft touch with a hard head."