Four County Elections Offices in Washington State Evacuated After Receiving Envelopes Containing Suspicious Powders
Several county elections offices in Washington state were evacuated on Wednesday after workers discovered envelopes containing suspicious powders. Two of the envelopes were found to contain trace amounts of the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. The affected offices were in King County, Skagit County, Spokane County, and Pierce County.
The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed the evacuations in an emailed news release and stated that local, state, and federal agents were investigating the incidents. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
According to a senior U.S. official familiar with the investigation, roughly a dozen letters were sent to addresses in California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state. The official stated that the letters appeared to originate from the Pacific Northwest region, specifically Washington or Oregon.
One of the letters received by the King County elections office field-tested positive for fentanyl, as did an envelope found at the Spokane County Elections Office. However, the substance found in the envelope received by the Pierce County elections office was identified as baking soda.
Similar incidents were reported in other states as well, with the FBI’s Atlanta Bureau confirming that multiple suspicious letters were sent to ballot counting centers nationwide. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also confirmed that Fulton County had been targeted.
The Department of Justice acknowledged the reports and stated that the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service were investigating. A message found inside one of the envelopes said something to the effect of stopping the election and did not contain any specific identifying information.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs condemned the incidents as “acts of terrorism to threaten our elections” and emphasized the need for stronger protections for election workers.
It is important to note that just touching or being near fentanyl will not cause an overdose, according to toxicology and public health experts. The FBI has urged caution in handling mail, especially from unfamiliar senders.
This is not the first time that elections offices in Washington state have received suspicious substances in envelopes. Two counties reported similar incidents during the August primary, with trace amounts of fentanyl found in King County and an unharmful substance discovered in Okanogan County.
The FBI is currently conducting lab tests on the suspicious substances, and authorities are urging the public to handle mail with care, especially from unknown senders. All affected elections offices reopened after being evacuated and are continuing their ballot counting operations.