Career
Following the transition from the Board of Supervisors form of government for Erie County to a County Executive form, Rath was elected in 1960 to an initial three year term. The main Erie County office building Rath County Office Building, the home of county government"s executive branch, is named after him. Rath was re-elected as County Executive in 1963 and 1967.
He died in office in 1968 and was succeeded by Erie County Sheriff B. John Tutuska.
Rath is the patriarch of a prominent Western New York political family.