Rawlson King

The City of Ottawa’s list of elected officials for 2022 to 2026 shows Rawlson King as Councillor for Ward 13 Rideau-Rockcliffe. The City’s list of certified candidates shows his nomination dated May 14, 2026, with the same date for his registration in the Contribution Rebate Program. The City’s published results for the October 24, 2022 election give him 8,491 of the 10,593 votes cast in Ward 13, which is 80.2 percent, in a race of four candidates. CBC News reported on April 15, 2019 that, by unofficial results, he won the byelection (a special election between regular elections) to replace Tobi Nussbaum with 1,529 votes, or 18.36 percent, among 17 candidates, and that he would be the first Black city councillor in Ottawa’s history. CBC News of March 1, 2019 says he had run for public school trustee in the 2018 election and was president of the Overbrook Community Association.

The City’s page for him, in a copy saved on March 7, 2026, says he is Chair of the Built Heritage Committee and Council Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives, sits on the Community Services, Environment and Climate Change and Finance and Corporate Services committees, is a member of the Board of Health and a trustee of the Ottawa Public Library Board, and served as Deputy Mayor from June to December 2024.

The Council minutes of December 10, 2025 record him voting against the Ottawa Police Service budget (carried 20 to 5) and for the motion that adopted the 2026 budgets (carried 21 to 4). The same minutes show a motion that he moved, seconded by Councillor Johnson, to match a $5.4 million police reserve allocation with $5.4 million for ANCHOR (a program that sends non-police crisis teams) and community hubs; it lost 9 to 16. They also list his directions to staff on an emergency food security reserve and on provincial funding for the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy. On April 22, 2026 he is recorded voting for the Safe Access to Social Infrastructure By-law (carried 20 to 4) and for an amendment by Councillor Bradley that would have limited the by-law to times when a facility is used for its main purpose (lost 10 to 14). On July 15, 2026 he is recorded voting for the Development Charge Reduction Program (carried 23 to 1) and for the Rental Renovation Licence By-law review (carried 20 to 5). On September 9, 2026 he moved a motion, seconded by Mayor Sutcliffe, that asks the federal government to extend its consultation on the Eastern Bridge Project and to pause decisions until the new Council takes office; it carried 23 to 2.

CBC News reported on September 8, 2025 that King deferred planned sidewalks on a few Manor Park streets after residents objected, and that residents were divided on the plan. CBC News reported on April 8, 2026 that Council voted 16 to 7 against his motion to remove sidewalks from sections of Arundel Avenue and Kilbarry Crescent, so the sidewalks go ahead. In that report he says the question has always been about sequencing and priority, and Mayor Sutcliffe voted for his motion. His opponent Peter Karwacki criticizes this record on his own blog, and those criticisms are his statements.

In the CTV News Ottawa questionnaire and the NCR NOW questions he says he would not support fare increases as a way to fix OC Transpo and would focus on reliability and frequency, would balance police funding with social services and mental health supports instead of only raising the police budget, and is open to an infrastructure levy (an extra property tax charge for roads and sewers) if it is transparent, accountable and fair to lower-income residents. He names housing affordability and homelessness as the biggest issues in the ward. His campaign says he has helped win $400 million for infrastructure and $120 million for affordable housing in the ward, a poverty reduction strategy, a food security policy and the City’s anti-racism office and strategy. Those figures and claims are the campaign’s own, and voche.me has not checked them. The sources voche.me read hold no complaint or allegation about him.