Career
In 1974, after the passage of the District of Columbia Home Rule Acting created the Council of the District of Columbia, Rolark ran to be the first Ward 8 member. She lost the Democratic primary to James Coates by fewer than 100 votes and later announced that she would run a write-in campaign against him in the November election. Her campaign was unsuccessful.
Rolark came back in 1976 (the first Ward 8 term after the council"s creation was only two years) and defeated Coates in the primary.
He in turn launched his own write-in campaign for November, which was also unsuccessful. Rolark became Ward 8 council member on January 2, 1977.
She went on to be reelected in 1980, 1984, and 1988. Rolark"s time on the council came to an end on January 2, 1993, after 16 years.
