Montgomery voters have elected the first black mayor in a two-to-one landslide in a city that once served as the capital of the Confederacy.

Montgomery County Probate Judge Steven Reed defeated television station owner David Woods in Tuesday’s runoff, far exceeding his margin in the first election six weeks ago. Reed will be sworn in Nov. 12.

With 46 of 48 precincts in, Reed had 32,511 votes, or 67%. Woods had 15,891 votes, or 33%.

In a city known as the cradle of the Confederacy and home to some of the key events and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement , including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., the election Tuesday was another important moment.

Speaking to cheering supporters packed shoulder-to-shoulder at a victory party, Reed talked about uniting the city and helping it reach its potential.

“We have been focused from day one about the things that make us better, the things that unite us,” Reed said. “And this is what I see in this crowd, and this is what I see in the results of tonight is a unified Montgomery. And let the record show that.”

Reed didn’t talk about being Montgomery’s first black mayor but did talk about the election as a chance for defining change.

“Today is about the vision,” Reed said. "The vision we have for people far beyond this room. Some of the people who could not be here. But it encompasses and it connects all of them. And that’s what we have been saying and that’s what we want to make sure we continue tomorrow, and the next day and the next day. Because that is what is going to define this city. And that’s what’s going to define this election.

'It’s not going to be about the first. It’s not even going to be about the best. It’s going to be about the impact that we make on the lives of others."

Reed had led a field of a dozen candidates in the Aug. 27 election, getting about 42% of the vote. Woods ran second with about 24%.

Reed will replace Todd Strange, who did not seek reelection. Strange has been mayor since 2009.

Changes in the mayor’s office don’t come often in the 200-year-old Alabama capital city. Before Strange, Bobby Bright held the position for a decade after defeating incumbent Emory Folmar, who was mayor from 1977 to 1999.

Reed is the son of Joe Reed, the longtime leader of the Alabama Democratic Conference, the state’s predominant black political organization.

Woods is the son of Charles Woods, who overcame severe injuries from a fiery plane crash during World War II and ran for governor in 1966, 1970, and 1978.

The polls closed at 7 p.m.

Congratulations to my @Morehouse brother @stevenlouisreed, the first black mayor in Montgomery's 200-year history.



So proud of you. Keep making history. — Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) October 9, 2019

Election day came with some controversy before Reed’s dominant victory.

Woods filed a motion in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Monday challenging Montgomery City Clerk Brenda Blalock’s decision not to allow campaign poll watchers inside the Montgomery Election Center today. The Election Center is where vote totals coming in from the precincts are tabulated.

Woods claimed that state law required the Election Center to be open to campaign poll watchers.

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick held a hearing attended by lawyers for Woods, Reed, the city, and Montgomery County, Hardwick issued an order this afternoon that both candidates could have poll watchers in the Election Center from the time the machines are prepared to process absentee ballots, about 5 p.m., until all vote counts are completed and certified. Hardwick said the order was based on an agreement between the parties and complied with state election laws.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, the state’s top election official, announced on Sept. 5 that he would have 10 staff members working in five pairs monitor today’s runoff. Merrill said that came after complaints about some problems with the Aug. 27 election, including what he said was a failure to test equipment and train poll workers.

Montgomery Election Center Director Darryl Parker disputed Merrill’s assertions.

This story was updated at 7:57 a.m. on Oct. 9 to say that Reed will be sworn in Nov. 12.