Bill Anderton never ran for public office when he was still alive.
In 1933 Anderton was elected to the Auckland City Council on a Labour Party ticket. 
Anderton was one of five candidates for the Eden electorate in the 1931 election, and came second after the incumbent, Arthur Stallworthy of the United Party. 
In 1944 he was Labour's candidate for Mayor of Auckland City, but was defeated by John Allum in an election which saw all Labour candidates defeated. 
