North Carolina gubernatorial election, 1980

The North Carolina gubernatorial election of 1980 was held on November 4, 1980. Despite North Carolina going to Ronald Reagan in the presidential race and the U.S. Senate race being won by a Republican (John P. East), popular Democratic Governor Jim Hunt won a second term in office in a landslide over I. Beverly Lake. Hunt thus became the first governor of the state elected to a consecutive four-year term, following an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution allowing such a run.

Hunt's decision to run for a second term led to a challenge from former Democratic governor Robert W. Scott, but Hunt easily defeated the former governor in the Democratic primary.