LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — As Arkansas Republicans head toward a high-stakes runoff for Secretary of State, candidate Bryan Norris is making a clear case to voters: he is not a politician — and he says that is exactly why he should win.

The retired First Sergeant is positioning himself as the outsider in the March 31 Republican runoff against longtime state lawmaker Sen. Kim Hammer, arguing Arkansans are frustrated with what he calls “politics as usual” and ready for a different kind of leadership.

“I’m tired of feeling like I’m being ruled, not represented,” Norris said.

That frustration has become a central theme of his campaign.

Norris says voters are weary of elected officials moving from one office to the next, without delivering meaningful results.

“They rotate from one office to the next to the next,” Norris said. “I think the people of Arkansas are ready to see some results instead of seeing rotations.”

Norris repeatedly framed himself as a military veteran — not a career politician — and made election security the heart of his campaign message.

He says restoring public trust in Arkansas elections starts with transparency.

“The number one thing that we can do to bring back confidence is to be transparent,” Norris said.

Norris says that lack of visibility is fueling voter mistrust, and if elected, he wants to pursue expanded oversight — including what he describes as a first-of-its-kind audit.

“I want to perform the first ever 100% audit of an election in a primary and a general and release those results to the people of Arkansas,” he said.

But Norris says his concerns go beyond ballots and ballot boxes.

He also warned Arkansas should be more aggressive when it comes to cybersecurity, particularly as artificial intelligence advances and foreign threats grow more sophisticated.

“No one’s leaning forward in the foxhole of AI, and I’m extremely concerned about that,” Norris said.“One person with a laptop can have a huge impact.”

When asked whether the cost of stronger protections could ultimately fall on taxpayers, Norris argued the greater risk is failing to act.

“What’s the cost if they hack into our entire infrastructure and just degrade it and turn it off?”he asked. “What’s the cost if they hack into an election? What’s the cost if they hack into the treasury?”

Still, Norris insists his campaign is about more than election systems.

He says after traveling what he estimates to be more than 40,000 miles across Arkansas, he has heard a familiar set of concerns from voters — and says affordability is at the top of the list.

“Number one is the affordability,” Norris said.“They feel like things are getting really tough on them.”

And beneath those economic worries, he says, is a deeper frustration he believes many Arkansans share.

“They’re tired of feeling like they’re being ruled and not represented,” he said.

On the business side of the Secretary of State’s office, Norris says he would begin by cutting regulations and reevaluating internal processes from day one.

“First day is my office doors coming off the hinges,” Norris said. “I want to do a DOGE-style audit of it. If it’s not codified in law, it’s going to go away.”

The interview also touched on controversy surrounding now-deleted social media posts in which Norris used profanity.

When asked about the language, Norris acknowledged the posts and said he regrets them.

“I’m a soldier. I’m a military guy. We use some salty language from time to time,” Norris said.“I’m a work in progress. I’m a human being that makes mistakes from time to time. You’re never going to hear me talk or speak that way again.”

As the runoff approaches, Norris says his message remains simple: accountability.

“I just want the opportunity to earn your vote from you,” he said. “After you elect me, I’m going to be held accountable to you.”

Norris will face Senator Kim Hammer in the March 31st Republican runoff for Arkansas Secretary of State. You can watch both full candidate interviews on KATV’s YouTube page.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Arkansas voters are heading toward a Republican runoff in the race for Secretary of State — the statewide office responsible for overseeing elections, maintaining voter records, and managing business filings.

Army veteran Bryan Norris and State Senator Kim Hammer emerged as the top two candidates in the Republican primary and will now face each other March 31.

For Hammer, the campaign builds on 16 years of experience in the Arkansas legislature — eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate. He says that background would allow him to immediately step into the role if elected.

“I will be able to hit the ground running,” Hammer said. “Because we will come out of an election and we’re going to go right into a general session.” He says without his experience, “That is a big learning curve — you’re drinking out of a water hose.”

A central focus of Hammer’s campaign has been election security. He argues Arkansas already ranks among the strongest states in the country when it comes to protecting elections.

“We are number one in the nation as far as election integrity and security, and you don’t get that way without fighting for it,” Hammer said.

But some of Hammer’s recent legislative work has also sparked debate — particularly changes to the state’s citizen-led ballot initiative process.

During the 2025 legislative session, Hammer sponsored a package of bills that altered how ballot initiatives are placed before voters. The initiative process allows Arkansans to propose amendments to the state constitution through petition drives.

Under the new laws, petition canvassers must verify identification and read the ballot title to voters before collecting signatures.

Hammer says those changes were prompted by complaints from voters who felt they had been misled while signing petitions.

“People were being misled,” Hammer said. “People were calling the Secretary of State’s office wanting their name taken off the ballot initiative because the title was confusing and people were out there misleading others about what the initiative said.”

Hammer says the goal was to better protect Arkansas’s constitution.

“Our Constitution should be one of the most sacred documents that governs us,” he said. “Maybe the bigger question people should be asking is why some want to make it so easy to change our Constitution.”

Supporters of the legislation say the new requirements increase transparency in the petition process. But critics argue the rules could make it more difficult for grassroots organizations to place issues on the ballot — particularly proposals involving abortion rights or marijuana policy.

Hammer disagrees with that characterization.

“We didn’t make it any more difficult to change,” he said. “We just brought it to a higher standard.”

The senator has also voiced support for stronger voter verification policies similar to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, backed by former President Donald Trump.

“We have a good system in place, but it will be better when we add these other features to it,” Hammer said. “You can’t safeguard your voter rolls too much.”

If elected Secretary of State, Hammer says his goal would be to maintain stability in the office responsible for overseeing Arkansas elections.

“My job is not to come in and blow the place up,” he said. “My job is to come in and govern and make a smooth transition, because that’s what the people of Arkansas expect.”

The Republican runoff between Hammer and Norris later this month will determine who advances in the race for Arkansas Secretary of State.