In 1918, Quayle was chosen as leader of the Democratic organization in part of Brooklyn's 1st District in the New York State Assembly, and he was a member of the executive committee of the Kings County Democratic Party. From 1919 to 1923 Quayle was deputy city clerk of New York City, with responsibility for the city clerk's operations in Brooklyn. In 1920, he served as an Alternate Delegate to the Democratic National Convention.