Arkansas GOP secretary of state runoff recounts don’t change outcome in 3 counties

Bryan Norris (Image: Arkansas Secretary of State Office)

By Andrew DeMillo, Arkansas Advocate

The results for the Republican runoff for Arkansas secretary of state didn’t change after recounts were held in three counties, local election officials said Monday.

Washington, White and Grant counties held recounts requested by Bryan Norris, who lost last week’s runoff to state Sen. Kim Hammer. Election officials in the three counties said the result matched exactly what was reported on Tuesday night.

Hammer defeated Norris by about 100 votes in Washington County, 156 votes in White County and by nearly 350 votes in Grant County in Tuesday’s primary runoff. Norris last week requested recounts in several counties after losing by fewer than 1,000 votes statewide.

Recounts were also scheduled Tuesday in Saline County and Thursday in Miller County. A recount held in Baxter County on Friday did not change results of the race there.

Under Arkansas law, the cost of the recount must be paid by the candidate requesting it and the candidate is refunded if the outcome of the election is altered. The amount charged cannot exceed either 25 cents per vote cast in the precincts where the recount is requested or $2,500 for the entire county, whichever is less.

Norris was charged $660 for the Washington County recount, $270 for White County and $255.27 for Grant County.

The winner of the primary runoff will face Democrat Kelly Grappe and Libertarian Michael Pakko in the November election.

The Arkansas Advocate is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to tough, fair daily reporting and investigative journalism that holds public officials accountable and focuses on the relationship between the lives of Arkansans and public policy.