 | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
 County results Caldwell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Merrimon: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% 90–100% No Data/Vote: | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
The1872 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on August 1, 1872. IncumbentRepublicanTod Robinson Caldwell, who defeatedThomas Settle andOliver H. Dockery for the Republican nomination, defeatedDemocratic nomineeAugustus Summerfield Merrimon, who defeatedJames Madison Leach andDaniel 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 the1972 gubernatorial election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tod Robinson Caldwell (incumbent) | 98,630 | 50.49% | ||
| Democratic | Augustus Summerfield Merrimon | 96,731 | 49.51% | ||
| Majority | 1,899 | ||||
| Turnout | |||||
| Republicanhold | Swing | ||||
