Oklahoma State Election Board Office Evacuated After Envelope Containing White Powder Found
The office of the Oklahoma State Election Board at the state Capitol complex was evacuated on the morning of Tuesday, October 13, after an envelope containing a suspicious white powder was received, according to The Oklahoman. Paul Ziriax, the board's secretary, said in a news release that no staff members were harmed, that the incident would not affect the board's ability to conduct elections, and that election officials remain committed to safe and secure elections.
Ziriax said the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was called in immediately to assess the situation after the powder was discovered, and he thanked the Oklahoma City Fire Department and the Oklahoma National Guard for their assistance. Follow-up reporting on October 14 said the substance was determined to be non-hazardous and the complex was cleared to reopen on Wednesday, while authorities said they would continue working with state and federal partners on the incident without releasing further details about the envelope or its sender.
It was one of two such incidents in the country on Tuesday. In Louisiana, the Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge was closed Tuesday afternoon after an Elections Division employee opened a package and found a white powder. Secretary of State Nancy Landry said in a social media post that the substance had not been identified and that there were no injuries.
The closures came three weeks before the November 3 general election. Election offices in Oklahoma and other states also received suspicious packages containing powder in the weeks leading up to the 2024 general election.
Related: America's Electoral System (4): The Midterms: What Is on the Ballot on November 3, 2026
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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