Rae was first elected to Toronto city council in 1991 as a left-leaning councillor filling the seat vacated by Jack Layton (who was running for mayor at the time). He campaigned as an openly gay candidate and beat his closest rival by 1,003 votes, becoming the city's first openly gay councillor. During his first term, as Chair of the City's Personnel Committee he attempted, with Mayor June Rowlands' support, to introduce affirmative action in the city's fire department. The motion was defeated.