Career
Payne moved to Red Deer, Alberta in 1902 and joined the law firm started by George Welling Greene. Payne ran as a candidate for the Conservatives in the 1926 Alberta general election in the Red Deer electoral district. He faced a hotly contested three way race against incumbent George Smith and former Modern Language Association John Gaetz.
Payne was eliminated losing to Smith on the second vote count.
Payne ran for a second time in the 1930 Alberta general election. He would face Smith for the second time in a two way race.
Payne came very close to winning, when the polls showed he was short by 88 votes. Smited died in 1931 forcing a by-election that was held on November 16, 1931.
Payne ran for a second term in office in the 1935 Alberta general election but was defeated by Social Cr candidate Alfred Hooke who ended up winning in a landslide.
Payne finished a distant fourth out of five candidates.