Elliott's varied career in British Columbia included gold commissioner, stipendiary magistrate, and, following the union of the Island and Mainland Colonies in 1866, high sheriff of the province.

After the colony became a province of Canada, he was elected, in 1875, to the Victoria City seat in the provincial legislature and became leader of the opposition.

In 1876, Elliott became the fourth Premier of the province on the defeat of George Anthony Walkem's government in a Motion of No Confidence.

Andrew Charles Elliott is interred in the Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, British Columbia.

His obituary in Amor de Cosmos' Victoria Colonist newspaper read: He administered justice with a fearless hand and soon had discordant elements well in check.