Maryland election office warned of suspicious package, intercepted before arrival
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A suspicious package bound for Maryland’s State Board of Elections office was intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service before it could arrive, officials said Tuesday.
Jared DeMarinis, the state’s Administrator of Elections, confirmed the incident in a post on X, expressing gratitude for the prompt response by federal partners.
"SBE was notified by our federal partners that a suspicious package was en route to our office. The Post Office was able to intercept the package before it arrived today," DeMarinis wrote. "Thank you to our federal partners for prompt notification & assistance. We will not be deterred from our mission."
Authorities have not disclosed the contents of the package or additional details regarding the threat. However, officials are investigating the incident as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the security and integrity of election operations.
The Maryland State Board of Elections, like many election offices nationwide, has been under heightened scrutiny as they work to protect the democratic process amid growing concerns over election security.
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on Tuesday were investigating the origin of suspicious packages that have been sent to or received by elections officials in more than 15 states, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or that any of the packages contained hazardous material.
The latest packages were sent to elections officials in Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York and Rhode Island. Mississippi authorities reported a package was delivered there Monday, and the Connecticut Secretary of State's office said the FBI alerted it of a package that was intercepted.
The FBI is collecting the packages, some of which contained "an unknown substance," agency spokesperson Kristen Setera in Boston said in a statement.
"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," she said. "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."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.