Multiple states report suspicious packages with white powder at election offices

Election officials in three states have reported suspicious packages were sent to their offices in the past week, only a few weeks out from the midterm elections .

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Wednesday that U.S. Postal Service investigators blocked the delivery of a letter containing a “powdery white substance” to his office. The secretary said the FBI was handling this investigation.

“Election officials should never have to fear for their personal safety while performing their duties, and there is no place in a peaceful democracy for violence, threats or acts of intimidation,” he said in a statement shared on social media.

“We have a duty to the citizens of Ohio to deliver secure and accessible elections, and these kinds of cowardly threats will not deter us from that mission,” LaRose continued.

In Oklahoma, Paul Ziriax, the secretary of the state’s election board, said in a statement that its office was evacuated on Tuesday after it received an envelope that contained “suspicious white powder.”

Ziriax thanked the response from state troopers and other Oklahoma law enforcement agencies to this incident and said no one was injured.

“We want to assure Oklahoma voters that today’s incident does not impact our ability to conduct elections,” he said. “Election officials remain committed to ensuring safe and secure elections.”

Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry announced in a Tuesday afternoon social media post that her office’s Baton Rouge building had been evacuated after an elections employee opened a package and discovered a “white powder.”

In an update later that evening, she said law enforcement had found “no evidence of harmful substances” after running tests on the substance and that her office would continue to review the incident to identify safety improvement areas.

The FBI confirmed to NewsNation, The Hill’s broadcast partner, that the agency and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service were investigating the packages.

“We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters,” an FBI spokesperson said in a Thursday statement. “This FBI will continue to safeguard the public and secure elections for American citizens.”

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, election officials in several states reported receiving packages that contained white powder.

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said they were “deeply concerned” about these new reports in a joint statement released on Wednesday.

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