FBI Probes Powder Letters Sent to Election Offices in a Dozen States, Some Hitting Congress

The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious letters mailed to state election officials and congressional offices, some of which contained a powdery white substance, officials said Thursday. No one has been identified as the sender, and the mailings arrived with fewer than three weeks to go before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The letters reached election offices in states including Louisiana, Ohio and Oklahoma, as well as congressional offices, according to NPR. A Justice Department spokesperson told CNN that public officials in California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington state have also reported receiving suspicious mail, and that most of the letters appear to have targeted election offices. CBS News reported that the mailings reached offices in at least five states and that initial tests showed some of the envelopes held traces of fentanyl. Other officials reported no harmful material, and the results of testing have varied from letter to letter.

In a statement, the FBI said it is "investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to various addresses nationwide, including Secretary of State offices and their related election offices." The bureau said some of the letters contained an unknown substance and that it is working with its law enforcement partners "to identify the individual or individuals responsible for the letters."

In Louisiana, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State's office, Trey Williams, said an employee who opened a letter on Tuesday was not injured but was taken to an emergency room as a precaution. Law enforcement found no evidence of a harmful substance in that letter, he said.

Deputy Chief Inspector Brendan Donahue of the Postal Inspection Service said investigators were able to stop delivery of at least one of the mailings. "Some of the letters have contained an unknown substance, and we're working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident," he said.

Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said his office was among those targeted. A suspicious package was intercepted by the Postal Service before it reached the office, and no threat was posed to his staff, he said. Padilla used the episode to criticize the political climate. The incident, he said, is "a stark reminder of the very real dangers facing those who serve the public and who help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric — especially from Donald Trump."

A communication from the Senate's Sergeant at Arms to congressional staff, obtained by NPR, said law enforcement is "working to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered," but warned that some letters may still reach their destinations. The note told staff to treat any suspicious letter, package or substance as potentially hazardous, not to handle it and to leave the area. It said warning signs include discoloration, powder coming out of an envelope and a postmark that does not match the return address. An image attached to the message showed a return address labeled "DSA" with a New York City address.

The episode echoes 2024, when more than 15 state election offices received suspicious mailings in the weeks before that year's vote. This time, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors said in a joint statement that "those who administer our elections should never fear for their safety while carrying out their essential duties."

Election offices around the country are now handling early voting, ballot printing and poll-worker training while also screening incoming mail. The U.S. Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms did not respond to requests for comment.