The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are currently investigating the origin of suspicious packages that have been sent to or received by elections officials in over 15 states. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or hazardous materials found in the packages.
These packages have been sent to elections officials in Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and other states. Some of the packages contained an unknown substance, prompting the FBI to collect them for further investigation.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred, as similar packages were mailed to election officials in multiple states last year. The recent scare has caused disruptions as early voting has commenced in several states ahead of the upcoming elections for president, Senate, Congress, and key statehouse offices.
Local election directors are enhancing security measures to ensure the safety of workers and polling places while safeguarding ballots and voting procedures from tampering.
The National Association of Secretaries of State has condemned the threats to election workers and the recent incidents, emphasizing that political violence has no place in a democratic society.
Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, have reported receiving suspicious packages. While some packages led to evacuations, subsequent testing revealed that the substances were harmless, such as flour.
Election offices across the country have been on high alert following the 2020 election and subsequent threats. Security measures have been heightened to address the increased harassment and intimidation faced by election workers.
Authorities are working diligently to identify the individuals responsible for sending these packages and to ensure the safety and security of election officials and the voting process.
