Career
Barton ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1971 Alberta general election. Barton defeated four other candidates in a hotly contested race to pick up the new district for his party despite it losing government in that election. Barton ran for his second term in office in the 1975 Alberta general election.
His popular vote in the three way race was cut in half.
He was easily defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Larry Shaben finishing a distant second place.
