| Election Name: | 1972 Edinburgh Corporation election |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Edinburgh.svg |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1971 Edinburgh Corporation election |
| Previous Year: | 1971 |
| Next Election: | 1973 Edinburgh Corporation election |
| Next Year: | 1973 |
| Seats For Election: | 23 of the 69 seats to the Edinburgh Corporation |
| Majority Seats: | 35 |
| Party1: | Scottish Labour Party |
| Leader1: | Jack Kane |
| Last Election1: | 28 |
| Seats Before1: | 28 |
| Seats1: | 10 |
| Seats After1: | 33 |
| Seat Change1: | 5 |
| Popular Vote1: | 59,456 |
| Percentage1: | 42.0% |
| Party2: | Progressives (Scotland) |
| Last Election2: | 27 |
| Seats Before2: | 26 |
| Seats2: | 7 |
| Seats After2: | 21 |
| Seat Change2: | 5 |
| Popular Vote2: | 31,479 |
| Percentage2: | 22.2% |
| Party3: | Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party |
| Leader3: | Brian Meek |
| Last Election3: | 9 |
| Seats Before3: | 9 |
| Seats3: | 3 |
| Seats After3: | 9 |
| Popular Vote3: | 25,808 |
| Percentage3: | 18.2% |
| Party4: | Scottish Liberal Party |
| Leader4: | Robert Smith |
| Last Election4: | 3 |
| Seats Before4: | 4 |
| Seats4: | 2 |
| Seats After4: | 5 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 14,554 |
| Percentage4: | 10.3% |
| Party5: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election5: | 2 |
| Seats Before5: | 3 |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Seats After5: | 2 |
| Seat Change5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 4,286 |
| Percentage5: | 3.0% |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Party: | No overall control |
| After Party: | No overall control |
An Election to the Edinburgh Corporation was held on 2 May 1972, alongside municipal elections across Scotland. Of the councils 69 seats, 23 were up for election.
Following the election, with two by-elections pending, Edinburgh Corporation was composed of 33 Labour councillors, 21 Progressives, 9 Conservatives, and 5 Liberals. Labour did particularly well in the 1972 municipal elections across Scotland, and this was also the case in Edinburgh, where the party came close to gaining control of the council for the first time, controlling 33 of the councils 68 seats. The Liberals, with 5 seats, held the balance of power in the new council. Following the election Edinburgh corporation would elect its first Labour Lord Provost; Jack Kane.[1]
The election also witnessed the continuation of the decline of the Progressives, who lost 5 seats.
Turnout was 42.1%.