Kasim Reed re-elected as mayor of Atlanta

ATLANTA — Voters in Atlanta re-elected Mayor Kasim Reed over challengers Al Bartell, Fraser Duke and Glenn Wrightson.

Reed will serve a second four-year term following Tuesday's nonpartisan election.

Reed celebrated his win at the downtown Hyatt Regency.

"The high honor you've given me to be your mayor for another four years, this I'm grateful for and I'm humbled and I promise to give you everything I've got for the next four years," Reed said.

He said he will continue to focus on cutting crime and the city's finances.

A former state lawmaker, Reed is known for his strong support of President Barack Obama and his working relationship with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal on issues including economic development and transportation.

Reed earned 84 percent of the vote. He said he won every precinct in the city.

Reed hasn't been immune to criticism. Open government advocates have challenged Reed over a plan to use public financing to help support a new Atlanta Falcons stadium. Also, a group of street vendors have expressed unhappiness since the city took steps to curtail sales on public streets.

In the Atlanta City Council, Mary Norwood narrowly beat incumbent Aaron Watson for the closely- watched  Post 2 At-Large position. Norwood, who ran for mayor in 2009, said she wants to improve neighborhoods.

"I'm a land use and zoning person. I care a lot about that," Norwood said.

The Board of Education in Atlanta will also see several changes, with four members who decided not to run and one incumbent unseated in Tuesday's vote. Brenda Muhammad lost her District 1 seat to Leslie Grant.

Current board chairman Reuben McDaniel is heading for a runoff with Cynthia Brown. McDaniel told Channel 2 the new board will have to gel to make big decisions ahead.

"The superintendent, teaching, learning, I mean all that has to come together to really have a commitment to this city that our school system will have a graduation rate of 80 to 90 percent," McDaniel said.

Brown, his runoff opponent, is an attorney who serves on several boards, like the Atlanta Partnership for Arts in Learning.

WSBTV