 On December 6, 2005, Ravenstahl became the youngest President of the Pittsburgh City Council, when Gene Ricciardi (who had been elected district justice) stepped down from that post in a move seen as paving the way for ally Jim Motznik.However, Motznik was unable to secure the votes needed to win the presidency, and Ravenstahl emerged as a compromise candidate.He was re-elected unanimously at the re-organization meeting in January 2006, when the new members of the city council took office.