OLYMPIA, Wash. – Four election offices across the state were evacuated Wednesday morning after employees found envelopes that contained an unknown powdery substance.
This incident occurred in King, Pierce, Skagit, and Spokane counties while employees were processing ballots from the Nov. 7 general election. The Washington Secretary of State confirmed each office was evacuated for the safety of employees.
“The safety of staff and observers is paramount as elections workers across the state open envelopes and count each voter’s ballot,” Secretary Hobbs said. “These incidents underscore the critical need for stronger protections for all election workers. Democracy rests upon free and fair elections. These incidents are acts of terrorism to threaten our elections.”
Local, state and federal authorities are investigating the incidents. The Seattle FBI office confirmed it’s communicating with local law enforcement agencies about these investigations.
“The FBI is aware and in communication with our partners regarding these incidents,” FBI Seattle wrote in a statement. “We are poised to assist, if needed. We would like to stress the FBI takes all threats of violence seriously, including threats targeting those who do the critical work of administering free and fair elections throughout the U.S. We would also like to remind everyone to exercise care in handling mail, especially from unrecognized senders. If you see something suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately.”
The Spokane Police Department said the substance in Spokane County tested negative for any explosives or biological agents, but a presumptive test showed it was positive for some amount of fentanyl. The substance in King County also tested positive for fentanyl, according to the Renton Police Department.
A Spokesperson for Spokane County said an election update will be provided on Nov. 9 by 5 p.m.
