ATLANTA — Federal investigators are working to identify who sent dozens of suspicious letters to election offices and elected officials across the country, including one addressed to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.
The FBI intercepted a letter intended for Georgia’s Secretary of State as part of a larger investigation involving election offices in at least 15 states.
Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, prompting federal authorities to warn congressional and election offices to treat the mailings as “potentially hazardous.”
Retired FBI Atlanta Special Agent Marc Benjamin says investigators will carefully examine the letters for evidence that could help identify the sender.
“Looking for evidence to include fingerprints, DNA, perhaps type setting,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin says the FBI’s Evidence Response Team will also work to determine what substances may be inside the envelopes.
“The FBI will absolutely send out the ERT, the Evidence Response Team, to collect and isolate the letters; and then try to identify whatever suspicious substance could be contained within those letters,” Benjamin said.
The investigation extends beyond election offices. Several Democratic senators, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and California Sen. Alex Padilla, were also targeted. Officials say no U.S. House representatives were targeted.
Federal authorities say they are continuing to intercept additional letters before they reach their intended destinations.
The mailings come as early and absentee voting continues ahead of the November midterm elections.
“In addition to any immediate risk of threat the letters may pose, the other risk is the disruption to the election process,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin says the FBI will work with law enforcement agencies nationwide to alert political offices about the suspicious mailings and help prevent further incidents.
The investigation follows a similar situation in 2023, when the Fulton County Elections Office and election workers in several other states received letters containing powdery substances.
The FBI continues working with law enforcement partners to identify those responsible for the latest mailings across the country.
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.
