Raymond Smith was born near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and attended high school in Thief River Falls. He served two terms as Bottineau County (North Dakota) Treasurer from 1927 to 1931. He had several positions in North Dakota state governments: Inspector-at-Large for the State Regulating Department (1934); Accountant for the State Fire and Tornado Fund (1935); and Director of the Sales Tax Division (1935-1937). He moved to Minot in 1932 and to Grand Forks in 1942. He attended the University of North Dakota for refresher courses in accounting from 1942 to 1944. He passed his CPA exam in 1944. He was elected to the Grand Forks City Council in 1956 and was a member of the North Dakota Republican Party, the Odd Fellows, and the Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce.