Letters with 'suspicious substances' sent to US election offices

What the report says

Federal authorities are investigating a wave of letters described as containing “suspicious substances” and potentially hazardous material that were mailed to congressional and state election offices across the United States, according to BBC World News. The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service said they are working to trace the mailings, some of which were intercepted before delivery.

Several state officials reported direct contacts with the letters or packages. The BBC said Oklahoma, Ohio and Louisiana were among the states that confirmed being targeted. In Louisiana, the secretary of state’s office was evacuated after a staff member opened a package that contained white powder, though the office later reopened after authorities found no harmful substance. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his office was meant to receive a letter with white powder, but it was stopped before arrival.

Other reported targets included a congressional office and state capitols in New York and Wyoming, based on emergency-response scanner information reviewed by the BBC. The timing is notable because the mailings come just weeks before the US midterm elections, when control of Congress is at stake. BBC also noted that similar security scares involving suspicious mail have occurred in previous election cycles, including widespread package incidents ahead of the 2024 election.