The 1842 Sydney City Council election was held on 1 November 1842 to elect 24 aldermen for the City of Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales.

[1] This was the first election for Sydney after it was formally established on 20 July 1842.

[5] The franchise was granted to individuals who occupied and paid rates on a property; however, if they owned property in multiple wards, they could vote in only one.

[1] Six wards—Bourke, Brisbane, Cook, Gipps, Macquarie, and Phillip—were established, each represented by four councillors, covering a total of 3,202 electors.

[1] One councillor from each ward was required to resign their seat annually, resulting in elections being held every year.