The 1851 California gubernatorial election was held on September 3, 1851, to elect the governor of California.
During the 1851 convention, the Democratic Party refused to renominate incumbent John McDougal as the party's choice for governor. Instead, state Democrats nominated Assembly Speaker John Bigler.
^Dubin, Michael J. (2003). United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1776-1860: The Official Results by State and County. Jefferson: McFarland & Company. p. 13. ISBN9780786414390.