‘It’s concerning’: Election offices in 4 counties evacuated due to white powder
Nov 9, 2023, 6:30 AM | Updated: Nov 12, 2023, 10:20 am
People stand outside the King County Elections office in Renton on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 after white powder was found in a piece of mail. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
(Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
Envelopes containing a white powdery substances were mailed to elections headquarters in King, Pierce, Skagit, and Spokane counties Wednesday.
Preliminary tests on the white powder were positive for trace amounts of fentanyl in King and Spokane counties.
Whether the powder was fentanyl, or whether there were just traces on the envelope won’t be known until testing is complete.
King County
In King County, workers at the Renton Headquarters opened an envelope just after 10:30 a.m. That area of the building was sealed off and the entire building was evacuated.
“Presumptive test of substance showed positive for traces of fentanyl; percentage unknown,” the Renton Police Department in King County posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday afternoon.
No injuries were reported after the powder was found or during the evacuation.
“It shakes you up. It’s concerning,” Halei Watkins of King County Elections said. “It casts a shadow on doing this work.”
The Renton Fire Department and its hazmat unit spent more than three hours going through the building. They wanted to make certain workers would be safe upon their return to the building.
“I think when you see things like this it gives folks pause about whether they want to take the leap into public service,” Watkins said.
These evacuations will likely affect when and how many ballots can be counted and when and how many results can be released.
Elections officials says, once they get back inside, they will make that determination.
Spokane County
An envelope sent to the Spokane County Elections Office was tested for harmful substances including chemical/biological agents, explosive compounds, and controlled substances, Julie Humphreys, Public Safety Communication Manager for the Spokane Police Department said in a statement Wednesday.
“Initial tests of the powder were negative for agents and explosives, but positive for fentanyl. The department is working with state and federal partners on this ongoing investigation,” Humphreys said.
County officials said to KXLY in Spokane the powder was found in a standard envelope, not a ballot.
They also told the TV station a note was found but did not specify what the note said.
Fire officials are decontaminating the office, and it will be closed for the rest of the day. That means election workers won’t release new voting totals until late Thursday afternoon, KXLY added.
In a separate story, KXLY reported the FBI is working with law enforcement in Eastern and Western Washington, monitoring apparent threats made to multiple elections offices.
The FBI Public Affairs office in Seattle told the TV station it is monitoring the situation.
“The FBI is aware and in communication with our partners regarding these incidents,” the FBI said in a statement Wednesday. “We are poised to assist, if needed. We would like to stress the FBI takes all threats of violence seriously, including threats targeting those who do the critical work of administering free and fair elections throughout the U.S.”
Pierce County
The Pierce County Election Center in Tacoma was evacuated after an employee discovered a white substance in an envelope Wednesday morning. Police and Tacoma fire crews were dispatched at 8:45 a.m. in the 2500 Block of South 35th Street in Tacoma to investigate a possible hazardous substance, The News Tribune in Tacoma reported.
The employee did not have direct skin contact with the substance because they were wearing gloves, according to Tacoma Police Department detective and spokesman William Muse via the Tribune. Washington State Patrol crime lab officers processed the substance and determined it was baking soda.
There was a note inside the envelope that was consistent with the words, “Stop the election.” The message was not directed at any political group, candidate or ethnic group, Muse said.
An envelope received through regular mail, not a ballot, was opened by an employee. It had a white, powdery substance inside, according to Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer said, according to KIRO 7.
Skagit County
Hazardous materials teams arrived at Skagit County’s election office in Mount Vernon Wednesday afternoon.
Skagit County Communications Manager Jenn Rogers told KIRO Newsradio Wednesday that just before noon, a worker opened an envelop and found an unidentified white powder.
“Our building that has the elections and auditors’ office also includes a few other offices. So, we evacuated any public from the building. But staff in the other departments have stayed,” Rogers told KIRO Newsradio.
Secretary of state’s office responds
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement Wednesday these incidents illustrate the need to take seriously the threats elections workers face in administering the state’s democratic process.
“The safety of staff and observers is paramount as elections workers across the state open envelopes and count each voter’s ballot,” Hobbs said. “These incidents underscore the critical need for stronger protections for all election workers. Democracy rests upon free and fair elections. These incidents are acts of terrorism to threaten our elections.”
The release also stated that because investigations are ongoing, the Office of the Secretary of State could not provide further information about the incidents.
No one was injured at any of the four elections headquarters around the state where the powder was found.
Steve Coogan is the lead editor at MyNorthwest. James Lynch is a reporter for KIRO Newsradio.
