MD Elections Office Among Several Targeted By Suspicious Packages

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland State Board of Elections office was among several election offices nationwide that were targeted by suspicious packages this week, according to officials.

The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on Tuesday said they 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 FBI is collecting the packages, some of which contained “an unknown substance,” agency spokesperson Kristen Setera in Boston told the Associated Press in a statement.

In a post on X, state elections administrator Jared DeMarinis confirmed the postal service intercepted a suspicious package en route to the Maryland state elections office.

"(Thank you) to our federal partners for prompt notification & assistance," DeMarinis said. "We will not be deterred from our mission."

This is the second time in the past year that suspicious packages were mailed to election officials in multiple states.

The latest scare comes as early voting has begun in several states ahead of the high-stakes elections for president, Senate, Congress and key statehouse offices, causing disruption in an already tense voting season. Local election directors are beefing up security to keep workers and polling places safe while also ensuring that ballots and voting procedures won’t be tampered with.

The National Association of Secretaries of State condemned what it described as a “disturbing trend” of threats to election workers leading up to Nov. 5, as well as the second apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

“This must stop, period,” the group said. "Our democracy has no place for political violence, threats or intimidation of any kind.”

In a statement, Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes said he was "disturbed" to learn about the package intended for the state elections office.

"This sort of incident makes clear why we need to pass the federal Freedom to Vote Act, which would protect voting rights, end partisan gerrymandering, improve campaign finance, and safeguard our electoral process," the Democrat said in a statement.

The Freedom To Vote Act was first proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021. The U.S. Senate voted down the bill on Jan. 19, 2022, after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation. To read the full text of the amendment, click here.

If passed, the act would protect voting rights, end partisan gerrymandering, improve campaign finance and safeguard the electoral process.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.