The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious letters, some containing an unknown substance, mailed to congressional and election offices across the country less than three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.
Election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated on Tuesday after staff opened envelopes containing white powder, and a package bound for the Ohio secretary of state was intercepted by postal authorities.
The investigation, which also involves the U.S. Capitol Police, was first disclosed in a notice from the Senate Sergeant at Arms to Senate offices, obtained Thursday by the Associated Press. The notice said law enforcement was working to intercept additional letters but that "it is possible that some letters may reach their destinations." Federal authorities urged recipients to treat the mailings as "potentially hazardous."
In a statement, the FBI said it was "investigating a series of suspicious mailings 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. We are also working with our partners to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters." The bureau declined to confirm specific incidents or say what the substance may have been. No arrests have been announced.
In Baton Rouge, an employee in the Louisiana Secretary of State's Elections Division opened a letter around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, and found a powdery substance. The elections section was evacuated and the air conditioning was shut off to contain the powder. Louisiana State Police hazmat units recovered the substance and turned it over to the FBI for testing at its crime lab. The employee was taken to an emergency room as a precaution and was not hurt. Deputy Secretary Trey Williams said preliminary tests on site did not identify the powder as harmful, and that voter registration for the November election was not interrupted.
"There is no threat at this time to the public. No employees have said anything about any adverse health conditions and there were no injuries," said Sgt. Jacob Pucheu of the Louisiana State Police.
That same morning, the Oklahoma State Election Board at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City received an envelope with suspicious white powder. The office was evacuated, and state troopers later determined the substance was not hazardous. "Thankfully, no one from the State Election Board staff was harmed as a result of this incident," said State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax. "We want to assure Oklahoma voters that today's incident does not impact our ability to conduct elections."
On Thursday, an envelope containing white powder was also sent to Cook County, Illinois, Treasurer Maria Pappas. Her office said the powder turned out to be baking powder.
Brendan Donahue, a senior official with the Postal Inspection Service, confirmed the investigation at a press conference Thursday. "We are committed to protecting our nation's election officials from threatening and dangerous mail. Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable."
The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said in a joint statement that they were "deeply concerned by these incidents," adding that "those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties."
Similar mailings have hit election offices before. During the 2024 election, at least 14 election offices received mail containing white powder, some of which turned out to be flour, and in 2023 offices in six states received letters, some laced with traces of fentanyl. With the midterms now just weeks out, investigators are racing to find who is behind the latest wave — and to intercept the letters still in the mail.
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