| Election Name: | 1998 Rochford District Council election |
| Country: | Essex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1996 Rochford District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1996 |
| Election Date: | 7 May 1998 |
| Next Election: | 1999 Rochford District Council election |
| Next Year: | 1999 |
| Seats For Election: | 14 out of 40 seats on the Rochford District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 20 |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 8 |
| Seats Before1: | 11 |
| Seats1: | 5 |
| Seats After1: | 12 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Popular Vote1: | 3,230 |
| Percentage1: | 26.9% |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 1 |
| Seats Before2: | 2 |
| Seats2: | 4 |
| Seats After2: | 6 |
| Seat Change2: | 4 |
| Popular Vote2: | 4,363 |
| Percentage2: | 36.4 |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 6 |
| Seats Before3: | 23 |
| Seats3: | 4 |
| Seats After3: | 18 |
| Seat Change3: | 5 |
| Popular Vote3: | 3,706 |
| Percentage3: | 30.9 |
| Party4: | Residents Association |
| Last Election4: | 2 |
| Seats Before4: | 3 |
| Seats4: | 1 |
| Seats After4: | 3 |
| Popular Vote4: | 698 |
| Percentage4: | 5.8% |
| Party5: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election5: | N/A |
| Seats Before5: | 1 |
| Seats5: | N/A |
| Seats After5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | N/A |
| Percentage5: | N/A |
Elections to Rochford Council were held on 7 May 1998. One third of the council was up for election and the Liberal Democrat party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.[1]
After the election, the composition of the council was