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Traces of fentanyl found in 'suspicious envelope' sent to King County elections officials
The Office of the Secretary of State reported that traces of fentanyl were found in a ‘suspicious letter’ received by the King County Elections office while elections workers were processing ballots.
SEATTLE - The Office of the Secretary of State reported that traces of fentanyl were found in a ‘suspicious letter’ received by the King County Elections office while elections workers were processing ballots.
The letter was turned over to the United States Postal Inspection Service, who determined there was a trace of fentanyl in the letter. It's unclear if there were any health impacts for those who came in contact with it.
In Okanogan County, their courthouse was evacuated on Wednesday after the Auditor's Office reported receiving an envelope containing an unidentified substance.
That substance is being tested to confirm what it is.
There is no known connection between the two incidents, but it is still under investigation.
"Elections offices in every county in Washington have had to develop emergency plans and protective strategies for events like these, which should serve as a sobering reminder of the dangers that surround our elections process and elections workers," Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. "My office and I will provide all the resources at our disposal to any county that needs help confronting any challenge, and will continue to advocate for stronger protection for all elections workers."
Up to $80,000 was made available for election-related security funding for each Washington county.