Kalita Elton Leighton (September 13, 1871 – January 10, 1928) was an American attorney, a judge, and college football player and coach.

Leighton played college football at the University of Iowa, where he was a law student, from 1894 to 1896.

He served as the team captain of the 1895 Iowa Hawkeyes football team.

[1] In 1898, Leighton served as the head football coach at the University of Northern Iowa – then known as Iowa State Normal School - compiling a record of 4–0–1.

[2] In 1911, Leighton was appointed to as a judge of the Eighth Judicial District by the Governor of North Dakota, John Burke, and in 1920, he was appointed as Assistant Attorney General of North Dakota.