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Update, Oct. 15, 9 p.m.: This story has been updated with the news that a suspicious letter caused an evacuation in Arizona.
Update, Oct. 15, 6:15 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect that letters were sent to Nebraska and Washington.
Correction, Oct. 15: Due to an editing error, the headline of this story originally stated that more than 100 suspicious letters were sent specifically to election officials. While more than 100 suspicious letters were sent, it is unknown how many went to election officials and how many went to politicians or other recipients.
Update, Oct. 15, 4:40 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect that letters were sent to several other states and multiple U.S. senators.
Update, Oct. 15, 3:45 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect that a suspicious letter was sent to Pennsylvania.
Update, Oct. 15, 3 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect that a suspicious letter was sent to Connecticut.
Correction, Oct. 15: This story has been corrected with the fact that the FBI disclosed its investigation on Thursday, not Friday.
The FBI said Thursday that it is investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials across the nation, an unusually widespread example of election workers being physically threatened during a highly charged midterm campaign.
Federal officials have been speaking with targeted leaders across the country as they work to get a handle on the scope of the apparent attack. Three election officials briefed on the evolving investigation said they were told more than 100 letters were sent to people and groups across the country. The list includes at least two U.S. senators, Democrats Alex Padilla of California and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and a polling organization.
Officials in Louisiana and Oklahoma said they received suspicious letters containing a powdery white substance. The Wisconsin Elections Commission said in a statement Thursday that it, too, had received “a suspicious mail piece” containing “an unidentified powdery substance” and that “after a thorough examination, the mail piece was deemed not dangerous.”
Meagan Wolfe, the state’s chief election official and the WEC administrator, said the incident would have no impact on the general election.
“Let this be very clear: this incident will not shake us,” Wolfe said in a statement. “Election officials are fully prepared to handle many challenges, and this will have no impact on our unwavering commitment to deliver a safe and secure election.”
In Arizona, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said his office received a letter filled with white powder on Thursday afternoon, which led to the evacuation of his office as hazmat workers cleared the area.
“This is a sobering moment that highlights the reality of election administration in this country today,” he said in a statement. “We will not be scared out of doing our jobs on behalf of the voters of Arizona.”
Nebraska also received a similar envelope, which staff did not open and turned over to the FBI. In a statement, Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen said this was the second time a suspicious envelope had been delivered to his office — the first envelope arrived in 2024, when a wave of such letters arrived at election offices across the country.“In both instances, swift action was taken to isolate and then investigate the suspicious mailing,” Evnen wrote.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, and the office of Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said that law enforcement had intercepted similar letters bound for their offices, and the Pennsylvania Department of State said the U.S. Postal Service blocked delivery of a suspicious letter on Wednesday.
The FBI also informed the Connecticut secretary of state a letter had been intercepted. The local FBI field office confirmed it had “received multiple interceptions.”
Several other states were also sent letters that were intercepted, including Georgia, Idaho, and South Dakota.
“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,” LaRose said. “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.”
The FBI said it could not confirm specific cases, but did say its investigation is expansive.
“The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices,” the FBI said. “Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident.”
Attacks on elected officials have been on the rise in recent years. In 2024, suspicious packages were sent to election officials in at least six states.
Hayley Harding, Carrie Levine, Alexander Shur, Carter Walker, and Margery Beck contributed reporting.
Jessica Huseman is Votebeat’s editorial director and is based in Dallas. Contact Jessica at jhuseman@votebeat.org.
Dion Nissenbaum is Votebeat’s senior national reporter and is based in Houston. Contact Dion at dnissenbaum@votebeat.org.
