Suspicious mail has been sent to elections officials in several states

Federal authorities are investigating several suspicious pieces of mail sent to election officials in at least 10 states, some of which contained questionable substances and led to building evacuations.

Elections offices in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Missouri, Maine, Mississippi and Massachusetts have confirmed receiving suspicious mail. The FBI and the U.S. Postal Service said in a joint statement Tuesday that they are investigating what they referred to as “a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states.”

“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters,” the statement said. “We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters, and the motive behind the letters.”

No state, so far, has reported that anyone has been harmed as a result of the suspicious mail.

The series of incidents is the latest disruption to election officials’ operations during an already contentious election season. Election Day is a little less than two months away, but early voting has begun in some states.

Election offices around the country have sought to bolster their security in light of what they see as an increase in threats stemming from false election claims made since the 2020 election. These efforts have included increasing advertising budgets to combat false claims, ramping up training for election workers, and bolstering coordination with law enforcement to better respond to threats and harassment.

These types of threats have already led to evacuations and elections-related interruptions over the past year. In November, suspicious letters mailed to election offices in at least five states forced evacuations and in some cases temporarily disrupted ballot counting after elections. At least one letter contained fentanyl. And in January, several secretaries of state and state legislature officials received hoax email bomb threats, which led to the evacuation of government buildings, including state capitols, across the country.

Some states have been alerted to brace for similar suspicious mail to come soon to their offices.

An election official from a battleground state says they have not received a suspicious envelope, but they have been alerted by federal law enforcement that one is on its way. Federal law enforcement officials think the envelopes contain a flour-based mixture, but are treating it as though it could be fentanyl, according to the election official, who said their office is preparing for the suspicious mail’s arrival by ordering Narcan - an opioid overdose reversal drug - to have on hand.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the potential threat.

On Tuesday, the FBI notified the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Massachusetts that a suspicious envelope was en route to its Elections Division. The package was intercepted and isolated, according to the secretary’s office, and it is now in the custody of the FBI. On Tuesday morning, a piece of mail addressed to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) was intercepted out of state by USPS workers, according to Bellows’s spokesperson, Emily Cook.

Also on Tuesday morning, law enforcement was called to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office to examine a suspicious envelope. JoDonn Chaney, a spokesperson for Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R), said the suspicious mail was identified in the office mailroom, and staff immediately contacted the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Chaney said Tuesday afternoon that the National Guard was removing the envelope.

The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office also confirmed Tuesday that its elections division received a suspicious package the previous day.

“Thanks to information provided by federal agencies and partners, our office had been notified of the potential package and was on high alert,” the statement said. “Upon receipt, our staff handled the package in accordance with guidelines distributed by federal agents, and the package was promptly picked up by the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security where it is currently being tested.”

Several other states confirmed receiving similar suspicious mail earlier this week.

In Wyoming, the secretary of state’s office immediately contacted law enforcement and the office was evacuated after a white substance arrived in the mail.

“We take this very seriously,” Secretary of State Chuck Gray (R) said in a statement. “We will continue to work with law enforcement in monitoring this situation.”

An envelope identified Monday morning as suspicious by the Nebraska Secretary of State Elections Division “was isolated in a separate area in our office in accordance with established protocol,” according to a news release from Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R). A substance in the envelope was identified, and it was later tested and found to be nonhazardous.

“The situation was quickly and safely resolved thanks to the swift action taken by our staff members, law enforcement and other first responders,” Evnen said.

A government building in Topeka, Kan., was evacuated Monday due to suspicious mail, the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office confirmed.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) confirmed that his office received a suspicious package Monday and immediately reported the incident.

“First responders reported to our office immediately and determined there was no threat to our staff or the public. We have now reopened our office and will continue to conduct normal business operations,” he said in a statement.

Tennessee’s Division of Elections “received a suspicious envelope containing a powder” Monday, according to Doug Kufner, communications director for Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett (R). He added, “It was later determined that no threat to the staff or public existed, and the substance tested negative for hazardous materials.”

The Oklahoma State Election Board also received a suspicious envelope in the mail Monday which contained “a multi-page document and a white, powder substance,” Misha Mohr, a public information officer for the board, said in a statement. The substance was later identified as flour.

The National Association of Secretaries of State, a nonpartisan organization, condemned the wave of suspicious mail targeting election officials.

“With less than 50 days until the November 5, 2024 general election, we are seeing a disturbing trend continue - the second assassination attempt of a presidential candidate, and threatening and intimidating actions towards election officials. We are thankful our colleagues and their staff mem­bers are safe. We are also extremely grateful for the work of law enforcement in expertly handling these incidents,” the organization said in a statement. " … This must stop, period. Our democ­racy has no place for political violence, threats or intimidation of any kind.”