Several election offices and offices of secretaries of state across the United States received suspicious packages in the mail on Monday, Sept. 16.
According to an article from The Guardian, these packages were sent to offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Wyoming, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Nebraska, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island, Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia and Maryland, totaling 16 states. Although the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) are still investigating this issue, none of the packages have been confirmed to be harmful.
The USPIS categorizes dangerous mail as any form of mail that contains “mail bombs, hoax devices, suspicious substances, or any matter that may cause harm.” However, they note that these packages are extremely rare. Possible characteristics of dangerous mail include oily stains or discoloration, excessive use of tape or string to seal the package, excessive postage and a lack of a return address.
In an article by CBS News, the USPIS and 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 and safely collect the letters. We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters, and the motive behind the letters.”
The two organizations, who are working together to investigate the suspicious packages, concluded, “as this is an ongoing matter we will not be commenting further on the investigation, but the public can be assured safety is our top priority.”
These packages arrive in the wake of a second assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, and less than a week after the presidential debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, as the nation prepares for the upcoming election. The packages were sent to both historically red and blue states, such as Wyoming and Massachusetts.
In speaking with CBS News, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said, “we’re daily receiving threats, whether it’s through voicemails, emails, social media or in person,” and that these threats are “escalating.”
As one of the offices targeted with these packages, Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas “was notified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) intercepted an envelope at a USPS facility in West Hartford that matched the description of suspicious envelopes received by other offices. It has been sent to the state lab for processing,” according to a press release from the Office of the Secretary of the State released the following day.
In the press release, Thomas said “I want to thank USPIS, the FBI, CISA, and CTIC for their quick action and work to protect the people of Connecticut. For almost two years, we have been working as a team preparing for events such as this and we are now seeing why that work has been so important.”
Although rare, dangerous mail has been sent to important political figures in the past. According to an article from CNN News, President Harry S. Truman received multiple mail bombs, and Trump received a letter that “allegedly contained toxic castor bean material, which can be used to make ricin, a potentially deadly substance if eaten or inhaled.” Additionally, the same article noted that multiple news sources as well as the United States Capitol had received letters laced with anthrax in the aftermath of 9/11.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) and the USPIS both have online resources that can be used to identify possible suspicious packages. If one has been delivered, they urge that people isolate the item, evacuate the area, wash their hands with soap and water and contact the authorities.