Breaking news · Election security · Public safety · Congress · Federal investigation · DINA analysis

WASHINGTON — The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election offices and public officials nationwide, including letters that authorities say contained an unknown substance.

The investigation comes less than three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Capitol Police also is involved and that Senate offices were warned to treat the mailings as potentially hazardous because additional letters may reach their destinations.

Confirmed: Federal authorities have acknowledged a nationwide investigation. Election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated after receiving powder-containing packages, while officials in Ohio, Maryland, Mississippi and South Dakota reported that letters intended for election offices were intercepted or otherwise identified, according to AP. Reuters reported that a letter containing a suspicious substance addressed to an office of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was intercepted.

Not established: Authorities have not publicly identified the substance, announced a confirmed toxic exposure, named a suspect or established a motive. The existence of similar mailings does not by itself prove they came from one sender. DINA is not attributing the letters to any person, organization or political movement without verified evidence.

What authorities say

The FBI said it and postal inspectors were investigating suspicious mail sent to multiple addresses, including secretary of state offices and related election offices, and were working to identify whoever was responsible. Deputy Postal Inspector Brendan Donahue said the Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting election officials and is coordinating with law-enforcement partners.

The Senate Sergeant at Arms alerted Senate offices that law enforcement was attempting to intercept additional letters. Reuters separately reported that the House Sergeant at Arms told staff that public officials had received letters containing suspicious white powder.

The National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors condemned the threats and emphasized that election workers should not fear for their safety while performing their duties.

Why it matters

Suspicious-substance mail can force evacuations, trigger hazardous-material responses and interrupt election work even before laboratory testing establishes whether the contents are dangerous. With voting underway in North Carolina and other states, disruptions at election offices can affect ballot processing, voter assistance, records work and public confidence.

Election administrators must protect staff without amplifying speculation. Authorities should publish verified safety information promptly, preserve operational continuity and distinguish actual laboratory findings from preliminary descriptions such as “white powder” or “unknown substance.”

DINA analysis

DINA analysis: Threats against election workers are attacks on public administration regardless of the sender's politics or whether a substance ultimately proves hazardous. The responsible response is neither minimization nor panic: isolate suspicious items, protect workers, preserve evidence, keep election operations functioning and disclose confirmed facts on a regular schedule.

Public officials also should avoid partisan attribution before investigators establish origin and motive. Speculation can endanger innocent people, contaminate the investigation and deepen distrust at precisely the moment election offices need public cooperation.

Strongest accountability questions

  • How many mailings have been identified, intercepted or delivered, and which public offices were affected?
  • What have laboratory tests established about each substance, and were any employees exposed or injured?
  • Do envelopes, postmarks, language or forensic evidence establish a common source?
  • What continuity plans will keep ballot processing and voter services operating during evacuations?
  • When and how will authorities notify local election offices, congressional offices and the public about new verified risks?

Urgent public-records requests

  • Incident logs, evacuation timelines and non-sensitive hazardous-material test results for each affected election office.
  • Public safety alerts and interagency guidance distributed by the FBI, Postal Inspection Service, Capitol Police and congressional security officials.
  • Records showing operational delays, emergency-response costs and continuity measures at affected election offices.
  • Aggregate counts of intercepted mailings and affected jurisdictions, with investigative details and personal information appropriately protected.

Safety guidance

The FBI's suspicious-package guidance advises people who encounter an item that may contain an explosive, radiological, biological or chemical threat to isolate the area, call 911 and wash their hands with soap and water. Members of the public should not open, shake, smell or move a suspicious package to investigate it themselves.

Related DINA coverage

Sources

  1. Reuters — FBI and U.S. Postal Service investigate suspicious mailings to election officials and lawmakers, October 15, 2026
  2. Associated Press — Authorities investigate suspicious-substance letters sent to congressional and election offices, October 15, 2026
  3. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Election Crimes and Security
  4. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Suspicious Package Indicators and Safety Guidance