The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special is awarded to one television special each year. Prior to 2011, the award was bestowed as Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) for Variety, Music or Comedy Programming and included both series and specials. In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.