Brater won election as a Democrat to the Ann Arbor city council from the city's Third Ward in 1988. She then ran for mayor of Ann Arbor in April 1991, defeating two-term incumbent Republican mayor Gerald D. Jernigan.
In 1988, Brater was elected to the Ann Arbor city council from the Third Ward.  She then won the mayoral election in April 1991, defeating the incumbent Republican mayor, Gerald D. Jernigan.