2026 PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE | Arkansas Secretary of State

texarkanagazette.com · Feb 15, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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(Editor's Note: The candidates' answers are being published as submitted. The Gazette made only edits for formatting.) The winner of the Republican primary election betwen Cathy Hardin Harrison, Kim Hammer and Bryan Norris will face Democrat Kelly Grappe in the Nov. 3 general election. What policies will you advocate for to improve transparency in the state as a whole? Cathy Hardin Harrison: As the AR Secretary of State, I will advocate for government transparency by ensuring election integrity through secured voting systems and by managing ballot measures. I will work to strengthen electoral processes and provide the public with access to information regarding candidates and elections. Kim Hammer: Arkansans should have trust that our elections are transparent, secure, and reflect the will of the people. Last session, I made election integrity a top priority last, resulting in reforms that earned Arkansas the nation's #1 ranking for safest elections. These reforms strengthened voter ID laws, increased transparency, improved voter roll accuracy, and established clear processes to address election fraud. As Secretary of State, I will continue strengthening election laws and protecting the integrity of our elections. We will secure funding to maintain and upgrade voting equipment, expand training for election officials and volunteers, and launch a notification system for campaign finance filing deadlines. Bryan Norris: Transparency starts with elections. As Secretary of State, I will advocate for actual election integrity statewide, providing Arkansans a verifiable, auditable record of every vote cast. I will push for real-time public access to campaign finance filings and lobbying disclosures. I plan to conduct the first 100% audit of both the primary and general elections in our state. The Secretary of State's office maintains our business registry, and I will modernize these systems so citizens can easily access corporate filings, nonprofit records, and business ownership information. My military career taught me that accountability requires transparency. Arkansans deserve to know how their government operates, and I will ensure those records are accessible to everyone. How do you feel about the growing lithium industry in southern Arkansas? BN: The lithium deposits in south Arkansas represent a significant economic opportunity. The Secretary of State's role is to ensure businesses can efficiently register, file, and operate in our state. I support streamlining the regulatory environment so companies investing in Arkansas can navigate state requirements without unnecessary delays. My job will be making sure the Secretary of State's office serves as a partner to economic development, not an obstacle. When businesses succeed in Arkansas, our communities benefit through jobs and investment. KH: I'm excited about the potential economic boom that could come from the lithium industry. While we have a responsibility to ensure land owner rights are protected, we can't let the government slow down a good thing. Bureaucratic red tape should never stand in the way of Arkansas businesses' ability to run successful, prosperous businesses, grow our economy, and expand the labor force. As Secretary of State, I'll ensure business and licensing processes operate in an efficient, timely manner that ensures the best possible level of service to companies large and small. CHH: I am very excited by this new development! Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has positioned Arkansas to become a global leader in the lithium industry. I look forward to working with her as the Secretary of State in this regard. For far too long, the southern part of our state has contended with being last in education and business development. The growing lithium industry will help to strengthen Arkansas as a whole and develop as a major economic driver for south Arkansas, which is long overdue. What will you do to facilitate agribusiness growth in southern Arkansas? KH: The last thing our state should do is get in the way of the folks that feed our families, or thwart economic growth by making it harder to do business. Our farmers and partners in agriculture are experiencing unprecedented challenges in their industry and it's our job to make sure that Arkansas producers and their partners receive the support they need. As a small business owner, I know firsthand the challenges of running operations yourself – and how hard it can be to expand growth. I'll make things easier, not more difficult. As Secretary of State, I will: -- Modernize the website to improve usability and navigation --Simplify business formation and documentation processes -- Review operations to improve customer service and response times -- Strengthen public communication for faster, clearer information -- Create a Business Advisory Council to ensure the office remains responsive to business needs -- Evaluate the feasibility of regional satellite offices to expand public access CHH: As the Arkansas Secretary of State, I will work to attract agribusiness growth for southern Arkansas. Furthermore, I will work with all businesses, including agribusiness to attract and provide a streamlined and efficient business environment for commercial activities. My office will work to make it easier and faster for companies to establish, register, and operate within the state. BN: Agriculture remains the backbone of Arkansas. As Secretary of State, I will ensure that farm operations, cooperatives, and agribusiness entities can complete their filings and registrations efficiently. Rural communities deserve the same level of service as Little Rock. I will expand online services and work with county clerks to ensure farmers and ranchers can handle business requirements without losing a day's work traveling to a distant office. Our agricultural producers deserve a state government that works for them. Texarkana has come close, but never managed to secure a new, major employer in the last 10 years. How can you help local stakeholders bring a new, large employer to the region? BN: When companies evaluate locations, they consider how easy it is to do business with state government. As Secretary of State, I will ensure Arkansas offers fast, efficient business registration and filing services. I will work with local economic development teams to eliminate state-level paperwork delays that can slow site selection decisions. Texarkana's location on the Arkansas-Texas border is a competitive advantage. My job is to make sure the Secretary of State's office enhances that advantage rather than creating friction for businesses choosing Arkansas. CHH: For the past few years, I have served on the AR-TX REDI board. We are a non-profit group with a unified vision for the future of Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas. We are strongly committed to encouraging economic development opportunities throughout the entire Texarkana region. I have participated in recruiting businesses to the Texarkana area and will continue to do so in a key role as the Arkansas Secretary of State. KH: A major theme we've been discussing here encompasses Arkansas' economy, and I believe that bolstering our education, workforce, and economic expansion has to be at the top of our state's to-do list. I'm repeatedly bringing up what I'll do to make it easier to do business here because it's one of the most important missions as our Secretary of State. When we do the business of government right, we attract new businesses and help existing businesses grow. Lowering taxes and bureaucratic burdens and supporting those who make up our economy help places like Texarkana become increasingly appealing to large employers looking to move into a better place to grow their companies. What do you feel is the most important issue facing Arkansans? KH: Arkansans need more money in their wallets to keep up with the rising cost of living. That's the best way to support working families. No one can spend your money better than you. Our state ought to be constantly finding ways to save taxpayers' money and foster opportunities for employment and career advancement. CHH: In my view, the economy is the most important issue because so many other issues stem from it including poverty, healthcare access in rural areas, food insecurity, and education. Sadly, Arkansas has one of the highest poverty rates in the U.S., which affects our children and communities in many ways. It impacts our future as a state and as Americans. As Arkansas Secretary of State, I will be in a key position to attract quality business and industry to Arkansas, which will create more jobs and opportunities for Arkansans. With more jobs and a robust economy, we can tackle many other issues such as education and poverty and put Arkansas on the path to a bright future. BN: Trust in government. When citizens lose faith in their elections, their institutions, and their leaders, everything else suffers. As Secretary of State, my primary responsibility is administering fair, transparent, and secure elections. I will advocate for paper ballots because they provide the verification and audit capability that electronic-only systems cannot match. I will ensure every county, from our largest cities to our most rural communities, has the resources to conduct elections Arkansans can trust. I am not a career politician. I am a retired Army First Sergeant and project manager who believes in serving my state with the same integrity I brought to 21 years of military service. Arkansas deserves leadership that puts service above politics. CATHY HARDIN HARRISON BRYAN NORRIS