At a time when elections workers are facing increasing threats nationwide, the New York State Board of Elections says it received mail Tuesday containing a suspicious substance.
In a statement, the Board of Elections says it immediately contacted law enforcement and temporarily evacuated the location in Albany.
The investigation into the incident is continuing.
A spokesperson for the FBI’s Albany office says the FBI is aware of the incident and is assisting partners as necessary. The FBI says it’s investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states:
“The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states. Some of the letters contained an unknown substance and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters. 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. 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. We would also like to remind everyone to exercise care in handling mail, especially from unrecognized senders. If you see something suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately.”