| Election Name: | 1821 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Country: | North Carolina |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1820 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1820 |
| Next Election: | 1822 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1822 |
| Election Date: | 6 December 1821 |
| Nominee1: | Gabriel Holmes |
| Party1: | Democratic-Republican Party |
| Popular Vote1: | 106 |
| Percentage1: | 57.60% |
| Nominee2: | James Mebane |
| Party2: | Democratic-Republican Party |
| Popular Vote2: | 65 |
| Percentage2: | 35.33% |
| Nominee3: | Hutchins Gordon Burton |
| Party3: | Federalist Party |
| Popular Vote3: | 13 |
| Percentage3: | 7.07% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Jesse Franklin |
| Before Party: | Democratic-Republican Party |
| After Election: | Gabriel Holmes |
| After Party: | Democratic-Republican Party |
The 1821 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on 6 December 1821 in order to elect the Governor of North Carolina. Democratic-Republican candidate and former member of the North Carolina Senate Gabriel Holmes was elected by the North Carolina General Assembly against Democratic-Republican candidate James Mebane and Federalist candidate and incumbent member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 2nd district Hutchins Gordon Burton.[1]
On election day, 6 December 1821, Democratic-Republican candidate Gabriel Holmes was elected by the North Carolina General Assembly by a margin of 41 votes against his foremost opponent fellow Democratic-Republican candidate James Mebane, thereby retaining Democratic-Republican control over the office of Governor. Holmes was sworn in as the 21st Governor of North Carolina on 7 December 1821.[2]