He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1930 until 1932, representing the electorate of North Sydney.

He was an active trade unionist, serving as a shop delegate, organiser and representative of the tramway section of the Amalgamated Engineering Union.

[1] Howe was the Labor candidate for North Sydney at the 1927 state election, losing to Ernest Marks,[2] and for the corresponding federal seat at the 1928 federal election, losing to former Prime Minister Billy Hughes.

[2] Howe returned to his prior role at the tramway workshops after his defeat, and worked there from 1938 until his death in 1950.

[1] A long-term resident of Cammeray, Howe died at age 57 at the Mater Hospital, North Sydney.