In 1951 Enloe unsuccessfully sought a seat on the City Council of Raleigh, placing 10th in the primary election. Two years later he was elected to the body. In the spring of 1956 he was appointed to chair the "Let's Talk Sense Fund" to raise money for Adlai Stevenson II's presidential campaign. In August he attended the Democratic Party's national convention in Chicago in his capacity as a delegate. He was elected Mayor of Raleigh the following year, succeeding Fred B. Wheeler on July 1, 1957. That year he was also elected to the Executive Committee of the American Municipal Association, but he later left after choosing not to seek reelection. City councilman Jesse Helms disliked Enloe's leadership style, referring to him as the "Enloe Steamroller".