| Election Name: | 1972 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Delaware |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1968 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1968 |
| Next Election: | 1976 Delaware gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1976 |
| Election Date: | November 7, 1972 |
| Image1: | File:Sherman W. Tribbett (1922–2010), Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Sherman W. Tribbitt |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 117,274 |
| Percentage1: | 51.27% |
| Nominee2: | Russell W. Peterson |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 109,583 |
| Percentage2: | 47.91% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | Russell W. Peterson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Sherman W. Tribbitt |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1972 Delaware gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1972. Democratic nominee Sherman W. Tribbitt defeated incumbent Republican Governor Russell W. Peterson with 51.27% of the vote. This was the last time a Democrat won statewide office in Delaware until 1992, when Tom Carper (future U.S. Senator) won the gubernatorial election over Republican B. Gary Scott.
From 1972 to 1992 Delaware used a system of “challenge” primaries, in which a candidate for statewide office who received at least 35 percent of the convention vote could challenge the endorsed candidate in a primary. Democratic nominee Tribbitt avoided such a primary in 1972.