Quill did not contest the 1932 general election, declining to stand at a convention in Millstreet, Cork. According to "The Southern Star", it was thought Quill would be the chosen candidate, but, according to the newspaper's columnist, had "to a certain extent, lost touch with the electors of this division and he declined to accept the honour". According to the "Cork Examiner", having been proposed and seconded, Quill declined the nomination and asked "that some other candidate […] be proposed". In a letter published in "The Southern Star" in June 1933, Quill labelled criticisms levelled against him and the Labour movement as 'ignorant'. As of 1936, he was Chairman of the Cork County Executive of the Labour Party. Quill contested the 1937 general election as a sitting city councillor on the Cork Corporation, as one of 23 Labour candidates, receiving 14.9% of first preference votes, but was not elected. He ran again in the 1938 general election, this time as one of 30 Labour candidates, receiving 4,950 first preference votes (12.6%), but was once again not elected. This was to be his last general election campaign, however he would remain as an elected city councillor on Cork Corporation.