The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of letters containing suspicious powder that were sent to election workers in multiple states in recent days, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
In at least one case, officials said Thursday, the powder tested positive in a field test for fentanyl. There have been no reports of anyone suffering ill health effects, the officials said. The substances found in the letters are still being lab tested.
Officials in Georgia, Oregon and Washington have all reported suspicious letters sent to election officers or workers. The FBI field office in Portland said it had "responded to multiple incidents involving suspicious letters sent to several ballot counting centers in Oregon." The FBI's Seattle and Atlanta field offices issued similar statements.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said it had also responded to a report of a letter containing an unknown substance that had been mailed to the state attorney general's office in Austin on Thursday morning. It said in a statement that preliminary tests on the envelope had come back negative, but that the FBI would do further testing.
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Law enforcement officials said it's too soon to say where the letters came from or who may be responsible.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger referred to the envelopes that were sent to Fulton County as domestic terrorism, and said in a statement that his office is "working with our state and federal partners to determine if any additional Georgia officials are being targeted."
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs told The Associated Press the incidents in his state were "acts of terrorism to threaten our elections."
Hobbs' office said Wednesday that elections offices in King, Pierce, Skagit and Spokane counties had all been sent envelopes containing unknown powdery substances.
The mailings come as election officials around the country have complained of increased threats, with some pointing to the bogus rigged election claims by former President Donald Trump and others since the 2020 election.
Raffensperger said in his statement that election officials should "be free from fear and intimidation."
"We will work tirelessly to ensure that Georgia elections remain free, fair, and secure," he said.
The Postal Inspectors declined to discuss details of the incidents when reached for comment.