The 2026 Arkansas Secretary of State election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of Arkansas. Primary elections were held on March 3, and a primary runoff election was held on March 31. Incumbent secretary of state Cole Jester was appointed in 2024 and is ineligible to run for a full term.
Republican primary
The Republican primary went to a runoff, which became characterized as Hammer representing the GOP establishment and Norris as a political outsider. With little daylight on the issues between the two conservative Republicans, Hammer touted his 16 years of legislative experience and endorsements by incumbent Arkansas officeholders, and Norris portrayed himself as an outsider being attacked by the establishment. During the runoff, Norris' history of profane and conspiratorial social media posts became a campaign issue featured in commercials and websites, including one by a Sarah Huckabee Sanders-linked expenditure committee. The scandal also caused incumbent Jester to call for Norris to drop out of the race.[1]
Candidates
Nominee
Kim Hammer, state senator from the 16th district (2019–present)[2]
"Cotton backs Hammer over Norris in Arkansas secretary of state runoff". El Dorado News. March 16, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026. On Friday, in response to the lineup of endorsements received by Hammer, Norris said he has acquired his own list of endorsements -- from the likes of Mike Flynn, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former National Security Advisor for President Donald Trump; Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow;
