| Election Name: | 1796 Tennessee gubernatorial election |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Next Election: | 1797 Tennessee gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1797 |
| Election Date: | 1-2 March 1796 |
| Nominee1: | John Sevier |
| Party1: | Democratic-Republican Party |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Position Established |
| After Election: | John Sevier |
| After Party: | Democratic-Republican Party |
The 1796 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held between 1 and 2 March 1796 in order to elect the first governor of Tennessee. Democratic-Republican nominee and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th district John Sevier ran unopposed and thus won the election, but the exact election results are unknown.[1]
This was the first gubernatorial election that Tennessee had participated in since being admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state.[2]
On election day, 1 March 1796, Democratic-Republican nominee John Sevier won the election, but the exact results are unknown, thereby gaining Democratic-Republican control over the new office of Governor. Sevier was sworn in as the 1st Governor of Tennessee on 30 March 1796.[3]