Poll worker threat concerns amid BOE suspicious mail Zion Decoteau — NEWS10 ABC

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states. One such place was the New York State Board of Elections office on North Pearl Street in Albany on September 17. HAZMAT incident in Albany linked to suspicious mailings in several states […]

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states. One such place was the New York State Board of Elections office on North Pearl Street in Albany on September 17.

HAZMAT incident in Albany linked to suspicious mailings in several states

“On Tuesday afternoon we received our mail as usual and as part of that mail there was an envelope in the bin that was leaking out a powdery substance” sad Kathleen McGrath, Director of Public Information at the New York State Board of Elections.

Board spokesperson Kathleen McGrath says the organization immediately went into emergency mode.“We called 911 and got law enforcement and emergency personnel here to temporarily evacuate the area to decontaminate and then law enforcement took custody of the substance,” McGrath.

What exactly was that substance? The FBI says it’s still investigating. In the interim, board workers are taking precautionary measures. “We actually just had a training with staff earlier that day about reminding them to always use personal protective gear like gloves and masks that we use when we open mail,” said McGrath.

Susan Lerner of voter lead watchdog group Common Cause NY — founded by a GOP Member of President Lyndon Johnson’s cabinet after Watergate — deems this unacceptable.

“Nobody should be trying to interfere with our elections which this is clearly designed to do. As Americans,  we have to reject division and fear” said Lerner.

Both Lerner and McGrath say that election integrity suspicion is most likely fueling these threats, and agree that voters can rest assured that elections are run in a bi-partisan fashion.

“We have checks and balances built into our election law. And one way in which that happens is that at every step along the way in our election process, you have representatives from the two major parties — democrats and republicans — who work together as a check on each other’s conduct,” Lerner explained.

“Poll workers work year-round across the country to make sure that elections are safe and secure and fair,” said McGrath, “So it’s really concerning when folks…you know…send things that could be perceived as threatening or are threatening for folks just doing their jobs to help their communities and democracy” McGrath continued.

The FBI, US Postal Inspection Service, and New York State Police investigation into the suspicious packages continues.

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