The 1971 municipal election was held October 13, 1971 to elect a mayor and twelve aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and seven trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards.
This was the first election in which a ward system was used. Where previously all twelve aldermen were elected at large, beginning with this election three would be elected from each of four wards (starting with the 1980 election, this was changed to two aldermen being elected from each of six wards). The election was conducted under the block voting system in which each voter was given as many votes as there were vacancies.
School board trustees were elected at-large no wards used.
The mayor was elected through first-past-the-post voting. All others were elected through plurality block voting.