| Election Name: | 1988 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Country: | Essex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1987 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1987 |
| Next Election: | Colchester Borough Council election, 1990 |
| Next Year: | 1990 |
| Seats For Election: | 20 out of 60 seats to Colchester Borough Council |
| Majority Seats: | 31 |
| Turnout: | 40.1% (5.6%) |
| Party1: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 22 seats, 36.8% |
| Seats1: | 7 |
| Seats After1: | 24 |
| Seat Change1: | 2 |
| Popular Vote1: | 12,424 |
| Percentage1: | 32.5% |
| Swing1: | 4.3% |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 24 seats, 39.7% |
| Seats2: | 9 |
| Seats After2: | 23 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
| Popular Vote2: | 15,190 |
| Percentage2: | 39.7% |
| Swing2: | 0.0% |
| Party3: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 10 seats, 20.4% |
| Seats3: | 3 |
| Seats After3: | 9 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Popular Vote3: | 9,590 |
| Percentage3: | 25.1% |
| Swing3: | 4.7% |
| Party4: | Tiptree Residents Association |
| Last Election4: | 3 seats, 2.9% |
| Seats4: | 1 |
| Seats After4: | 3 |
| Popular Vote4: | 1,042 |
| Percentage4: | 2.7% |
| Swing4: | 0.2% |
| Party5: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election5: | 1 seat, 0.2% |
| Seats5: | 0 |
| Seats After5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 0 |
| Percentage5: | 0.0% |
| Swing5: | 0.2% |
Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held on 5 May 1988 alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.
This was the first Colchester local election contested by the newly formed Liberal Democrats following the merger of the SDP and Liberal Party.
At the election, the Liberal Democrats emerged as the largest party on the council for the first time since its creation in 1973.