He served as town clerk of the town of Green Lake in 1881–1882 and 1883; and in 1884 served as sheriff of Green Lake County.[1]
Smith was elected to the Assembly in 1888 for a two-year term, receiving 1,602 votes against 1,531 votes for Republican H. B. Lowe and 125 votes for Prohibitionist Ira E. Smith (Republican incumbent Charles D. McConnell was not a candidate).[2] He served on the committees for agriculture, town and county organization, and roads and bridges.[3] McConnell attempted to reclaim his seat in 1890, but Smith prevailed, polling 1867 votes to McConnell's 1139 and Prohibitionist J. E. Smith's 61.
Smith was not a candidate for re-election in 1892, and was succeeded by fellow Democrat Orrin Bow. He died in 1913 and was interred in Markesan.
