| Election Name: | 1861 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Texas |
| Previous Election: | 1859 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1859 |
| Next Election: | 1863 Texas gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1863 |
| Election Date: | August 5, 1861 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Image1: | File:Francis lubbock.jpg |
| Party1: | Independent politician |
| Popular Vote1: | 21,854 |
| Percentage1: | 38.1% |
| Nominee2: | Edward Clark |
| Party2: | Independent politician |
| Popular Vote2: | 21,730 |
| Percentage2: | 37.8% |
| Image3: | File:Thomas J. Chambers.jpg |
| Party3: | Independent politician |
| Popular Vote3: | 13,759 |
| Percentage3: | 24.0% |
Governor | |
| Before Election: | Edward Clark |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| Posttitle: | Elected Governor |
| After Election: | Francis Lubbock |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
The 1861 Texas gubernatorial election was held on August 5 1861, to elect the governor of Texas. In a three-way election, former Democratic lieutenant governor Francis Lubbock defeated incumbent Governor Edward Clark and Thomas J. Chambers, a wealthy political gadfly from East Texas. All candidates were staunch secessionists, promising to wage vigorous war upon the North in cooperation with Confederate authorities.[1]
Clark had elevated himself to the governorship after swearing an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, following the previous Governor Sam Houston's removal due to his refusal to take such an oath. This move was seen by unionist as an affront to Houston, who did not recognize the validity of his removal. Despite being a secessionist himself, Lubbock was backed by Houston and Unionists in the election, who would rather vote for him than Clark. This backing, along with Lubbock's ability to appeal to former non-voters, particularly non-slaveholders, were the main factors that caused Clark's defeat by a slim margin of 124 votes.