On Monday, suspicious packages were sent to election officials in at least six U.S. states. However, no hazardous materials were reported inside any of them. The packages, containing powder, were mailed to secretaries of state and election offices in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. The FBI and U.S. Postal Service have launched an investigation into the incident.
This marks the second time in a year that election officials have received suspicious mail across multiple states. As early voting is underway and the nation prepares for critical presidential, Senate, and statehouse elections, these packages have heightened tensions during an already stressful election season.
In several states, a white powder was discovered in the envelopes, but most of it was determined to be harmless. For example, in Oklahoma, authorities confirmed that the substance was simply flour. Wyoming officials are still determining if the material they received poses any danger. An evacuation took place in Iowa, though hazmat teams in several states quickly assessed the situation and declared the materials non-hazardous.
Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate confirmed that they followed established protocols after the evacuation of the Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines. Similarly, an office building in Topeka, Kansas, was evacuated after suspicious mail was sent to both the secretary of state and attorney general’s offices. Though the unknown substance turned out to be harmless, several employees were monitored for their health.
In Oklahoma, the State Election Board received a suspicious envelope containing a white substance, which was later found to be flour, while in Wyoming, state workers were sent home as tests continued on a white substance sent to the secretary of state’s office.
This is not the first time election offices have faced such threats. Last November, suspicious letters, some containing fentanyl, were sent to election offices in multiple states, including Kansas and Georgia. Though some packages proved non-toxic, they still caused disruptions in local elections, such as delaying vote-counting in Washington state.
In response to these incidents, election offices nationwide have implemented stricter security measures and prepared for potential threats following the 2020 election and the rise of false claims surrounding it.
