Arkansas Republicans Norris and Hammer are in a runoff for Secretary of State, sharply divided over election administration, specifically the hand-counting of ballots, embodying different interpretations of former President Trump's election agenda.
The article details the contentious Republican primary runoff for Arkansas Secretary of State between Norris and Hammer, both vying to implement former President Donald Trump's election agenda but with starkly different approaches. Norris champions the full hand-counting of ballots without automated tabulation, a method favored by some Trump supporters since the 2020 election, despite concerns about its efficiency and accuracy. Hammer, however, supports a 2023 law requiring hand-counted ballots to be compatible with state tabulation equipment and for counties to cover associated costs. Hammer is backed by the Arkansas Republican establishment, including U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, while Norris's supporters include prominent 2020 election deniers like Michael Flynn and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Norris also faced scrutiny for past 'salty language' on social media. Norris slightly outperformed Hammer in the initial three-way primary, particularly in strong Trump counties. The eventual Republican nominee is expected to win the general election, as no Democrat has won statewide office in Arkansas since 2010. The article also provides logistical details for the runoff, including poll closing times, voter eligibility rules, turnout figures, and the Associated Press's vote-counting and winner declaration procedures for this and other state legislative runoffs.
