The first election to the Dagenham Borough Council took place on 1 November 1938. The election was for all 24 seats on the council. It was the last regular election ahead of the Second World War and there would not be another election until 1945.
Dagenham was incorporated as municipal borough on 1 October 1938. There had already been an election to the urban district council in April 1938, but as municipal boroughs held elections annually in November another election was required that year.
In 1938 all 24 of the seats were up for election:
Nominations closed on 22 October 1938 and polling took place on 1 November 1938.
Councillors were elected for one, two or three year terms due to end in 1939, 1940 and 1941. However, due to the Second World War, and the provisions of the Local Elections and Register of Electors (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1939âÂÂ1944 and the Representation of the People Act 1945, their terms were extended until the 1945, 1946 and 1947 elections.
The results were as follows: