Letters Containing "Suspicious Substances" Sent to U.S. Election Offices

Several states, including Oklahoma, Ohio and Louisiana, have confirmed that they were targeted by the mailings.

Letters containing "suspicious material" were sent to US senators and election offices

Federal officials say they are investigating "potentially dangerous" letters containing "suspicious material" sent to congressional and state election offices across the United States.

The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) said they were trying to track "suspicious mail," some of which was intercepted before it was received.

Officials declined to say how many offices were targeted, but several state and congressional offices reported receiving the letters.

Just weeks before the US midterm elections, it echoes earlier security fears about suspicious mail.

Suspicious letters were sent to at least five Democratic senators' offices, most of which were intercepted before delivery.

The senators' offices confirmed to the BBC that they include Alex Padilla of California, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kristen Gillibrand of New York.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer and Delaware Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester were also sent suspicious letters, CBS News reported.

"This incident is a reminder of the real danger to those who serve the public and help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric," Padilla told the BBC in a statement.

Several government departments have also received these suspicious letters.

The Delaware Office of Elections said its office received and opened a letter containing a white powdery substance on Thursday, adding that staff followed security protocols for handling suspicious letters.

The Oklahoma State Board of Elections and the Louisiana Secretary of State both said this week that their offices had received letters containing the white powder.

The Louisiana office was evacuated after an employee opened the package on Tuesday, but has since reopened after law enforcement found no evidence of harmful substances.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank Lars said his office was the intended recipient of a letter containing the white powder, but USPIS intercepted it.

The New York State Capitol in Albany and the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne also received suspicious packages, according to emergency response scanner feeds reviewed by the BBC.

"The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service will continue to protect the public and election security for American citizens," the agencies said in a statement Thursday.

The questionable letters come just weeks before Election Day, which will determine the balance of power in Congress.

Ahead of the 2024 election, voting officials in 17 states received suspicious packages.

A year earlier, suspicious envelopes, some containing fentanyl, were sent to election offices in at least five states.