| Election Name: | 1851 California gubernatorial election |
| Type: | presidential |
| Flag Image: | First Bear Flag of California (1846).svgborder |
| Previous Election: | 1849 California gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1849 |
| Next Election: | 1853 California gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1853 |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Election Date: | September 3, 1851 |
| Image1: | John Bigler, 1850.jpg |
| Nominee1: | John Bigler |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 23,175 |
| Percentage1: | 50.48% |
| Nominee2: | Pierson B. Reading |
| Party2: | Whig Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 22,735 |
| Percentage2: | 49.52% |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | John McDougal |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | John Bigler |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
The 1851 California gubernatorial election was held on September 3, 1851, to elect the governor of California.
During the 1851 convention, the Democratic Party refused to renominate incumbent John McDougal as the party's choice for governor. Instead, state Democrats nominated Assembly Speaker John Bigler.
| County | John Bigler Democratic | Pierson B. Reading Whig | Margin | Total votes cast | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |||||||||||||
| Butte | 1,410 | 53.84% | 1,209 | 46.16% | 201 | 7.67% | 2,619 | ||||||||
| Calaveras | 1,780 | 62.28% | 1,078 | 37.72% | 702 | 24.56% | 2,858 | ||||||||
| Colusa | 77 | 48.73% | 81 | 51.27% | -4 | -2.53% | 158 | ||||||||
| Contra Costa | 174 | 49.01% | 181 | 50.99% | -7 | -1.97% | 355 | ||||||||
| El Dorado | 3,072 | 53.88% | 2,630 | 46.12% | 442 | 7.75% | 5,702 | ||||||||
| Klamath | 170 | 33.53% | 337 | 66.47% | -167 | -32.94% | 507 | ||||||||
| Los Angeles | 72 | 14.52% | 424 | 85.48% | -352 | -70.97% | 496 | ||||||||
| Marin | 12 | 7.59% | 146 | 92.41% | -134 | -84.81% | 158 | ||||||||
| Mariposa | 779 | 55.92% | 614 | 44.08% | 165 | 11.84% | 1,393 | ||||||||
| Monterey | 195 | 60.56% | 127 | 39.44% | 68 | 21.12% | 322 | ||||||||
| Napa | 82 | 36.77% | 141 | 63.23% | -59 | -26.46% | 223 | ||||||||
| Nevada | 1,466 | 50.81% | 1,419 | 49.19% | 47 | 1.63% | 2,885 | ||||||||
| Placer | 1,196 | 59.03% | 830 | 40.97% | 366 | 18.07% | 2,026 | ||||||||
| Sacramento | 2,269 | 55.14% | 1,846 | 44.86% | 423 | 10.28% | 5,774 | ||||||||
| San Diego | 104 | 63.41% | 60 | 36.59% | 44 | 26.83% | 164 | ||||||||
| San Francisco | 2,431 | 42.10% | 3,343 | 57.90% | -912 | -15.79% | 5,774 | ||||||||
| San Joaquin | 801 | 50.00% | 801 | 50.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 1,602 | ||||||||
| San Luis Obispo | 8 | 12.12% | 58 | 87.88% | -50 | -75.76% | 66 | ||||||||
| Santa Barbara | 0 | 0.00% | 205 | 100.00% | -205 | -100.00% | 205 | ||||||||
| Santa Clara | 377 | 31.00% | 869 | 69.00% | -462 | -37.99% | 1,216 | ||||||||
| Santa Cruz | 35 | 14.11% | 213 | 85.89% | -178 | -71.77% | 248 | ||||||||
| Shasta | 1,169 | 54.52% | 975 | 45.48% | 194 | 9.05% | 2,144 | ||||||||
| Solano | 233 | 37.22% | 393 | 62.78% | -160 | -25.56% | 626 | ||||||||
| Sonoma | 193 | 47.89% | 210 | 52.11% | -17 | -4.22% | 403 | ||||||||
| Sutter | 139 | 52.85% | 124 | 47.15% | 15 | 5.70% | 263 | ||||||||
| Trinity | 552 | 50.32% | 545 | 49.68% | 7 | 0.64% | 1,097 | ||||||||
| Tuolumne | 1,580 | 52.51% | 1,429 | 47.49% | 151 | 5.02% | 3,009 | ||||||||
| Yolo | 292 | 61.60% | 182 | 38.40% | 110 | 23.21% | 474 | ||||||||
| Yuba | 2,507 | 52.21% | 2,295 | 47.79% | 212 | 4.41% | 4,802 | ||||||||
| Total | 23,175 | 50.48% | 22,735 | 49.52% | 440 | 0.96% | 45,910 | ||||||||