Mississippi joins a multitude of states receiving a suspicious package at the state’s election office.
According to Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, his office was notified by federal law enforcement officials of the potential of a suspicious package ahead of time. Watson and his team were already on high alert when the package arrived.
Watson said his staff handled it under guidelines distributed by federal agents, and the package was promptly picked up by the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security where it is currently being tested.
According to the Associated Press, other states have confirmed the package to include a white powdery substance that did not contain hazardous materials, though a few states evacuated their election offices due to the packages.
The latest incident comes as we near a hotly-contested presidential election as well as high-profile congressional and local races nationwide. In Mississippi, the Secretary of State’s elections division has notified county election officials of the incident and urged extra precaution.
