The Provost of Elgin was the head of the Elgin burgh council in Scotland. Provosts were elected by the council and served not only as the chairman of that body, but as a figurehead for the town.

Elgin Town Council ceased to exist in May 1975, its duties being taken over by Moray District Council and Grampian Regional Council.

Each of the 32 Scottish local authorities elects a convener or provost, but it is only the four main cities, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee that have a Lord Provost. This is enshrined in the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.

Elgin Town Council decided to call the royal burgh a city in the mid 19th century. The provost of a city is entitled to the title “lord provost”. However, Elgin’s claim to be a city was never ratified by either the Lord Lyon or the Convention of Royal Burghs. In spite of this the council retained the title of lord provost for their chief magistrate.

Mackintosh, Herbert B: Elgin Past and Present, Elgin, 1914