The former Alaskan governor -- and one-time presidential VP candidate -- got a temporary restraining order Wednesday in Palmer, Alaska ... where she told the judge she needed protection against somebody named Peter Paul Ferrero. There's a hearing on this matter scheduled for next month.

It's troubling news for one major reason -- namely, Ferrero has previously been charged and convicted of stalking over an encounter with Bristol Palin 10 years ago ... when she alleged he showed up at her house in Wasilla -- and wouldn't scram when she told him to.

Bristol also claimed at the time Ferrero had been blowing her up on Facebook before he arrived on her doorstep ... and when he did finally show up, she freaked out and called the cops over it. Ferrero was arrested, charged and ultimately convicted of felony stalking.

Interestingly enough ... court docs, obtained by TMZ, show that a new criminal case has been opened against him in Alaska -- only that case pertains to him allegedly violating a protective order that had been previously granted ... although, it doesn't say which case exactly.

It would seem like the case could be connected to Bristol ... and now, just a week later, her mom is asking for court-ordered protection -- so the whole thing looks like it lines up.

BTW, Sarah recently appeared in one of our documentaries about her stalking saga -- which goes well beyond just Ferrero, unfortunately -- and she made clear ... she exercises her 2nd amendment right these days, something she's not ashamed to pronounce publicly.