1836 North Carolina gubernatorial election

The 1836 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on 4 August 1836 in order to elect the Governor of North Carolina in the first election decided by popular election instead of the North Carolina General Assembly. Whig nominee and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th district Edward Bishop Dudley defeated Democratic nominee and incumbent Governor Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr..

General election
On election day, 4 August 1836, Whig nominee Edward Bishop Dudley won the election by a margin of 4,773 votes against his opponent Democratic nominee Richard Dobbs Spaight Jr., thereby gaining Whig control over the office of Governor. Dudley was sworn in as the 28th Governor of North Carolina on 31 December 1836.