Feds investigating after elections officials in multiple states get fentanyl-laced letters

Authorities are searching for the person or group responsible for sending suspicious letters, some of which contained fentanyl, to election offices in at least five states this week. 

This incident has delayed counting ballots in some local races and is the latest example of the threats faced by election workers across the country. This incident was reported to the election officials on Thursday.

Several letters were sent to the election offices in Georgia, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington, the Associated Press reported. Some of these letters were intercepted before reaching their destination. According to a statement by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, four of the letters contained fentanyl.

"Law enforcement is working diligently to intercept any additional letters before they are delivered," the statement said.

A letter that was sent to the Washington State County Elections office was found to have traces of fentanyl. However, a letter sent to an election office in Washington state was found to contain baking soda instead of fentanyl, according to Officer Shelbie Boyd of the Tacoma Police Department, who spoke to ABC News.

Who is running for president in 2024?A closer look at each candidate ahead of the election

The Washington State Patrol's Director of Communications, Chris Loftis, reported that a bomb squad was dispatched to an election office in Tacoma on Wednesday following the discovery of a message. The message indicated that the letter aimed to "stop the election."

The Pierce County auditor's office in Tacoma released images of the letter it received. The letter was postmarked in Portland, Oregon, and read, "End elections now."

King County Elections Director Julie Wise confirmed that the letter her office in Seattle received was similar to the one containing fentanyl received during the August primary.

In Georgia, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed that election workers in Fulton County received a suspicious letter. He also mentioned that no other counties in the state were targeted.

"This is domestic terrorism, and it needs to be condemned by anyone that holds elected office and anyone that wants to hold elective office anywhere in America," Raffensperger said to the AP.

The United States Postal Service in California successfully intercepted two suspicious envelopes en route to Los Angeles and Sacramento election facilities.

An investigation is underway in Lane County, Oregon, home to the University of Oregon, after a suspicious mail was delivered to the local election office on Wednesday. According to Devon Ashbridge, a spokesperson for the Lane County Elections Office in Eugene, no one who came into contact with the mail has reported any adverse health effects.

The office was closed after an incident, which delayed ballot pickup.

"Someone attempted to terrorize our elections staff, and that's not OK," Ashbridge said.

3 key takeaways from Tuesday:Were 2023 election results 'another loss for Trump'?

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that is up to 50 times more powerful than heroin. Its extreme potency is driving a devastating overdose crisis, which is currently the deadliest the U.S. has ever experienced. 

This drug is often pressed into pills or mixed with other substances, making it difficult for users to know exactly what they are taking. It is important to note that even brief contact with fentanyl is not enough to cause an overdose, and researchers have found that the likelihood of a fatal overdose resulting from accidental exposure is relatively low.

What's next in the investigation?

A spokesperson from the Department of Justice stated on Thursday that they are aware of the reports and that the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are conducting investigations.

FBI offices in Atlanta and Spokane are working with local law enforcement to investigate.

The exact reason authorities suspected that a letter may have been sent to Georgia's largest election office is unknown. However, on Wednesday, Raffensperger reported that the state notified all 159 counties about the potential threat. It is believed that only Fulton County is being targeted.

"There's people out there who want to do harm to our workers and want to disrupt, interrupt, the flow of democracy and free, open and transparent elections, and we're prepared for it," said Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts.