FBI investigates suspicious letters sent to US election offices and senators

Why it matters

The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service say letters, some holding an unknown substance, were mailed to secretary of state and election offices nationwide. The midterm elections are less than three weeks away.

Election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated this week after staff opened packages with a white powder. Tests in Louisiana found no harmful substance.

States whose election officials got suspicious mail

8 states, at least

Top election officials in at least eight states have reported suspicious mail in recent days, and several letters were intercepted before they arrived.

Letters were also sent to the offices of Democratic senators, among them Chris Murphy, Alex Padilla, Kirsten Gillibrand and Chris Coons. Most were intercepted, and no House member is known to have been targeted.

"Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable," said Brendan Donahue, deputy chief inspector at the US Postal Inspection Service. Investigators have not said how many letters were sent or who sent them.

— Brendan Donahue, US Postal Inspection Service