| Election Name: | 1840 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Country: | North Carolina |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1838 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1838 |
| Next Election: | 1842 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1842 |
| Election Date: | 6 August 1840 |
| Nominee1: | John Motley Morehead |
| Party1: | Whig Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 44,484 |
| Percentage1: | 55.33% |
| Nominee2: | Romulus M. Saunders |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 35,903 |
| Percentage2: | 44.67% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Edward Bishop Dudley |
| Before Party: | Whig Party (United States) |
| After Election: | John Motley Morehead |
| After Party: | Whig Party (United States) |
The 1840 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on 6 August 1840 in order to elect the Governor of North Carolina. Whig nominee and former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives John Motley Morehead defeated Democratic nominee and former Attorney General of North Carolina Romulus M. Saunders.[1]
On election day, 6 August 1840, Whig nominee John Motley Morehead won the election by a margin of 8,581 votes against his opponent Democratic nominee Romulus M. Saunders, thereby retaining Whig control over the office of Governor. Morehead was sworn in as the 29th Governor of North Carolina on 1 January 1841.[2]