Suspicious letters with white powder sent to election offices in multiple states

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Election offices in multiple states reported receiving suspicious letters in the mail this week containing a powdery white substance, prompting an investigation from the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service.

Officials in Louisiana and Oklahoma confirmed receipt of such letters on Tuesday and said they evacuated their election offices while law enforcement responded to the incidents.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Wednesday his office was the “intended recipient” of a suspicious letter but that the Postal Service intercepted it. No one was reported harmed in any of the incidents.

In a statement Wednesday night, the FBI said “a series of suspicious mailings” have been sent to “various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices.”

“Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident,” the FBI said. “We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters.”

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said they were “deeply concerned” by the incidents.

“As we have each stated in the past, threats against election officials and workers have no place in our democracy,” said a joint statement from the two organizations. “Those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties.”

Election officials across the country are no strangers to suspicious or threatening mail. Powder-containing packages were sent to election officials in at least six states just weeks before the 2024 presidential election.

The incidents reported this week show that “in the current threat environment, election and law enforcement officials must be prepared to address a broad range of cyber and physical threats,” John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary for intelligence and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security, told CNN.

“The bad news [is that] the threat is rapidly evolving, dynamic, technologically enabled and dangerous,” Cohen said. “The good news [is that] state and local officials are better prepared than ever to address these threats.”

邦妮·卡什/盖蒂图片社/文件

本周，多个州的选举办公室报告收到可疑信件，信中含有白色粉末状物质，这促使联邦调查局和美国邮政监察局展开调查。

路易斯安那州和俄克拉荷马州的官员周二证实收到了此类信件，并表示在执法部门处理这些事件期间，他们疏散了选举办公室。

俄亥俄州州务卿弗兰克·拉罗斯周三表示，他的办公室原本是收到一封可疑信件的“收件人”，但邮政部门截获了这封信件。据报道，所有事件中均无人受伤。

联邦调查局周三晚间发表声明称，“一系列可疑邮件”已寄往“全国各地的多个地址，包括州务卿办公室及其相关选举办公室”。

“部分信件中含有不明物质，我们正与执法部门密切合作，对每起事件做出回应，”联邦调查局表示。“我们也在与合作伙伴共同努力，以确定寄送这些信件的个人或团体。”

全国州务卿协会和全国州选举主任协会表示，他们对这些事件“深感关切”。

“正如我们过去各自所言，威胁选举官员和工作人员在我们的民主制度中绝不容许，”两组织在一份联合声明中表示。“负责选举工作的人员在履行其重要职责时，绝不应担心自身安全。”

全国各地的选举官员对可疑或威胁性邮件并不陌生。就在2024年总统大选前几周，至少有六个州的选举官员收到了含有粉末的包裹。

本周报道的事件表明，“在当前的威胁环境下，选举和执法官员必须做好准备，应对各种网络和物理威胁，”国土安全部前代理情报和分析副部长约翰·科恩告诉 CNN。

科恩说：“坏消息是，威胁正在迅速演变，瞬息万变，技术手段日益强大，而且十分危险。好消息是，州和地方官员比以往任何时候都更有能力应对这些威胁。”