# 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.

## Aggregate results

Western Isles Council election, 1978 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Independent | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 2,590 | 0.0 |

## Ward results

Port of Ness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Angus Morrison | 237 | 54.0% |
| | Independent | Donald Morrison (Incumbent) | 200 | 45.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 37 | 8.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Dell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Kathleen MacAskill (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Barvas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | W. MacLeod | 237 | 72.7% |
| | Independent | John Paterson (Incumbent) | 89 | 27.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 45.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Shawbost :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Malcolm MacLeod (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Carloway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Jack MacArthur (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Uig West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Donald MacAulay (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Gress :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | K.A. MacIver (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Coll :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Murdo MacDonald (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Laxdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Donald MacLeod (Incumbent) | 176 | 58.9% |
| | Independent | A.A. MacLeod | 122 | 40.8% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 54 | 18.1% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Coulregrein :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Kenneth MacDonald (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Manor Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James MacRae (Incumbent) | 305 | 87.9% |
| | Independent | T.A. Woodcock | 42 | 12.1% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 263 | 75.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Bayhead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Alasdair Rae MacKenzie (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Goathill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | M.A. Macmillan | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Sandy Matheson (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Sandwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William MacDonald (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Aignish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Crichton (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Tiumpan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Donald MacKay (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
North Lochs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | M.D. MacLeod | 263 | 52.8% |
| | Independent | Donald Martin (Incumbent) | 233 | 46.8% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 6.0% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Kinloch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ian MacLennan (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Pairc :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | D.M. MacKay | 113 | 46.5% |
| | Independent | A. Kennedy | 90 | 37.0% |
| | Independent | A. MacLeod | 40 | 16.5% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 9.5% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Tarbert :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Donald MacKinnon (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Bays :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | D. MacDonald (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Obbe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Wilfred Leonard (Incumbent) | 246 | 55.5% |
| | Independent | G. MacLeod | 197 | 44.5% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | 11.0% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Paible :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Roderick MacLeod (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Lochmaddy :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James Robertson (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Benbecula :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Calum MacLellan (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Iochdar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Dugald Morrison (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Lochboisdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Roderick MacKinnon (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Northbay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Reginald Allan (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Castlebay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Hugh Morrison (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

## 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.
1978 Carloway by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Malcolm MacArthur | 174 | 59.2% |
| | Independent | George MacLeod | 120 | 40.8% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 54 | 18.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |