1978 Western Isles Islands Council election

The second election to Western Isles Islands Council was held on 8 May 1978 as part of the wider 1978 Scottish regional elections. All candidates stood as Independents, and 23 candidates were elected unopposed.
In a rematch of the council vote in 1974, incumbent convener Donald Macaulay defeated a challenge from former Stornoway Provost Sandy Matheson and was re-elected to a second term in office.

By-elections

A by-election was held in Carloway in March 1979 following the resignation of Rev Jack MacArthur, convener of the council's Education Committee, who had moved to Skye to work as a minister for the Church of Scotland in Broadford.