The state Division of Elections office in Juneau was among similar offices in more than a dozen states to which suspicious packages containing an unknown substance were sent by mail, although postal officials intercepted the package meant for the Juneau office before it arrived there, the lieutenant governor’s office announced Tuesday.
State elections officials were told Monday about the mailings to “several Secretaries of State and election offices across the country,” according to a press release issued by Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstom, whose office oversees the elections division.
“The division was alerted later that same day by the US Postal Service that an envelope matching the description of the suspicious packages was enroute to the Division of Elections office in Juneau,” the release states. “This morning, the Division of Elections was notified that the US Postal Service was able to intercept the suspicious envelope before it reached its intended destination. The suspicious envelope and its contents have been turned over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.”
Among the other states receiving similar packages are Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Mississippi and Connecticut, according to the FBI.
“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,” Kristen Setera, an FBI spokesperson, said in a prepared statement. “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.”
The substance in the packages was described as a “white powder” by the National Association of Secretaries of State, which in a statement Tuesday expressed about the mailings as well as wider instances of election-related threats and incidents.
“With less than 50 days until the November 5, 2024 general election, we are seeing a disturbing trend continue — the second assassination attempt of a presidential candidate, and threatening and intimidating actions towards election officials,” the statement notes. “We are thankful our colleagues and their staff members are safe. We are also extremely grateful for the work of law enforcement in expertly handling these incidents.”
Dahlstrom’s statement says people should “contact local law enforcement immediately if you encounter suspicious mail, packages, or anything that may pose a threat. You can also report such incidents to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or the FBI.”
“Our democracy is founded on the principle that every voice matters and every vote counts,” she said. “Acts of intimidation, harassment, or violence undermine these core values and erode the trust in our electoral process. We are committed to protecting our election workers and ensuring a safe and secure environment for them to carry out their duties. I urge everyone to respect the election process and those who make it possible. Threatening behavior, in any form, will be addressed swiftly and with the full force of the law.”
The packages were sent at about the same time officials nationwide were dealing with threats about school shootings posted on social media that appeared to be hoaxes. One such message shared by students in Juneau resulted in the Juneau School District sending an alert to parents and extra police being deployed at Thunder Mountain Middle School on Monday morning.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
