| Election Name: | 1979 West Dorset District Council election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1976 West Dorset District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1976 |
| Next Election: | 1983 West Dorset District Council election |
| Next Year: | 1983 |
| Seats For Election: | All 55 seats to West Dorset District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 28 |
| Image1: | Ind |
| Party1: | Independent politician |
| Last Election1: | 45 seats, 56.9% |
| Seats1: | 37 |
| Seat Change1: | 8 |
| Popular Vote1: | 26,323 |
| Percentage1: | 42.1% |
| Swing1: | 14.8% |
| Party2: | Liberal Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 7 seats, 29.1% |
| Seats2: | 8 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| Popular Vote2: | 15,502 |
| Percentage2: | 24.8% |
| Swing2: | 4.3% |
| Image3: | Con |
| Party3: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 1 seat, 3.8% |
| Seats3: | 7 |
| Seat Change3: | 6 |
| Popular Vote3: | 13,052 |
| Percentage3: | 20.9% |
| Swing3: | 17.1% |
| Image4: | Lab |
| Party4: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election4: | 1 seat, 9.5% |
| Seats4: | 2 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 6,768 |
| Percentage4: | 10.8% |
| Swing4: | 1.3% |
| Image5: | IndC |
| Party5: | Independent Conservative |
| Last Election5: | 1 seat, 0.7% |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 836 |
| Percentage5: | 1.3% |
| Swing5: | 0.6% |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Election: | Independent |
| After Election: | Independent |
The 1979 West Dorset District Council election was held on Thursday 3 May 1979 to elect councillors to West Dorset District Council in England. It took place on the same day as the general election and other district council elections in the United Kingdom. This was the third election to the district council, the election saw terms of councillors extended from three to four years.
The 1979 election saw the Independent councillors maintain their majority control on the Council.