 He served as state's attorney for Rutland County from 1870 to 1874, represented Brandon in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1872 to 1873, and Rutland County in the Vermont State Senate from 1878 to 1879.He served a trustee of the Vermont Reform School from 1880 to 1884.In 1884, Ormsbee was nominated by the State Republican Convention to run for lieutenant governor; Ormsbee received 297 of the 510 votes, winning the nomination and the subsequent election for lieutenant governor.