Secretary of State Runoff —
Results
This page has been updated. Kim Hammer won the March 31 Republican primary runoff for Secretary of State. Read the full results.
By Garrett Ham
3rd Vice Chair, Republican Party of Benton County
Runoff Complete — Kim Hammer Wins
Kim Hammer defeated Bryan Norris 51%–49% on March 31, 2026. Read the full results.
Why There Was a Runoff
In the March 2026 Republican primary for Arkansas Secretary of State, no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, triggering a runoff election under Arkansas law. The two top vote-getters—State Senator Kim Hammer and Army veteran Bryan Norris—faced each other on March 31 to determine the Republican nominee. Kim Hammer won the runoff 51%–49%.
The Candidates
Sen. Kim Hammer
Kim Hammer has served in the Arkansas State Senate, representing Senate District 16 in the Saline/Pulaski County area. He is a pastor and longtime conservative legislator with a record of supporting religious liberty, Second Amendment rights, and limited government. Hammer brings legislative experience and a strong statewide conservative profile built over multiple terms in the legislature.
Bryan Norris
Bryan Norris is an Army veteran who has campaigned on election integrity and administrative reform. He emphasizes his military background and outsider status as a contrast to career politicians, focusing on modernizing the Secretary of State’s office and ensuring secure, transparent elections.
What the Secretary of State Does
The Arkansas Secretary of State is a statewide constitutional officer responsible for:
- Overseeing elections and voter registration for the state
- Maintaining official state records, including corporate filings and business registrations
- Serving as the official keeper of the state seal
- Administering the state’s Notary Public program
- Publishing Arkansas statutes and administrative code
The November General Election
Kim Hammer will face Democrat Kelly Grappe and Libertarian Michael Pakko in the November 2026 general election. Given Arkansas’s strong Republican lean at the statewide level, Hammer is considered the strong favorite heading into November.
For full results coverage, see our runoff results article. For information about the upcoming November general election, see our 2026 Benton County Voter Guide.
See the full picture. The Secretary of State runoff is just one of dozens of races in 2026. For a complete breakdown of every federal, state, and county race on your ballot, see our 2026 Benton County Voter Guide.