In 1893 Bell was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for the electoral district of Dalby in which his family home, Jimbour Homestead, was located.

Bell was elected chairman of committees in 1902 and in September 1903 joined the Arthur Morgan ministry as minister for lands.

William Kidston succeeded Morgan in January 1906 but Bell held his old position in the new cabinet until November 1907, and was also minister for railways from February to July of that year.

Bell was minister for lands in the second Kidston ministry from February to October 1908, and then home secretary until 29 June 1909, when he was elected speaker.

Bell was accorded a state funeral which proceeded from St John's Anglican Cathedral to the Toowong Cemetery[4] where he was buried next to his father.