| Election Name: | 1872 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Country: | North Carolina |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1868 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1868 |
| Next Election: | 1876 North Carolina gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1876 |
| Election Date: | August 1, 1872 |
| Nominee1: | Tod Robinson Caldwell |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 98,630 |
| Percentage1: | 50.49% |
| Nominee2: | Augustus Summerfield Merrimon |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 96,731 |
| Percentage2: | 49.51% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Tod Robinson Caldwell |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Tod Robinson Caldwell |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1872 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on August 1, 1872. Incumbent Republican Tod Robinson Caldwell, who defeated Thomas Settle and Oliver H. Dockery for the Republican nomination, defeated Democratic nominee Augustus Summerfield Merrimon, who defeated James Madison Leach and Daniel Moreau Barringer for the Democratic nomination, with 50.49% of the vote.
This was the last time a Republican candidate won an outright majority of the vote until the 1972 gubernatorial election.