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Election officials in at least six states received suspicious packages on Monday (September 16), causing disruptions in several offices. The states affected include Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. The FBI and U.S. Postal Service are currently investigating the incidents. This marks the second time in the past year that suspicious packages have been mailed to election officials in multiple state offices.
The packages, which contained a powder-like substance, were sent to secretaries of state and state election offices. In most cases, the material was found to be harmless. Oklahoma officials confirmed that the material sent to their election office was flour. Wyoming officials have not yet disclosed whether the material sent to them was hazardous.
The packages led to an evacuation in Iowa, while hazmat crews in several states quickly determined the material was harmless. A state office building in Topeka, Kansas, was also evacuated due to suspicious mail sent to both the secretary of state and attorney general. In Oklahoma, the State Election Board received a suspicious envelope in the mail containing a multi-page document and a white, powdery substance. Testing determined the substance was flour.
The scare comes as early voting has begun in several states less than two months ahead of the high-stakes elections for president, Senate, Congress, and key statehouse offices around the nation. This incident has added to the tension of an already intense voting season.
Suspicious letters were also sent to election offices and government buildings in at least six states last November, causing delays in the counting of ballots in some local elections. Election offices across the United States have since taken steps to increase the security of their buildings and boost protections for workers.