On the afternoon of the 27th, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office found itself in a rapid response situation when a suspicious package was delivered around noon, prompting an immediate evacuation and lockdown of the building. This incident is raising alarms, as it follows a worrying trend where over 15 state secretary offices tasked with election duties have reported similar threats in recent weeks. The FBI and postal inspectors are currently investigating these unsettling occurrences.
Cassondra Knudson, a spokesperson for the office in St. Paul, confirmed that the package instigated evacuation protocols, leading to the building being sealed off for the rest of the day. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and preliminary assessments suggest the package did not contain any hazardous materials.
In a press release, the office identified the sender of the package as the “United States Traitor Elimination Army,” a name that matches another suspicious package sent to the Colorado Secretary of State’s office earlier this month.
Secretary of State Steve Simon addressed the situation, stating that his office would work closely with law enforcement to trace the package’s origins and sender. He firmly expressed that threats against election officials are not only unacceptable but also intolerable, underscoring the essential need for democracy to operate free from the fear of intimidation or harassment. Simon reiterated that such tactics will not hinder their resolve to conduct free, fair, accurate, and safe elections.
Earlier in the month, other states, including Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Mississippi, and Connecticut, reported suspicious packages as well, with some intercepted before reaching their intended locations.
While the FBI has indicated that these packages contained an “unknown substance,” specifics have not been disclosed, nor has information about the threats faced by the Minnesota office been shared.
In response to the increasing threats against various state offices and two assassination attempts on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the National Association of Secretaries of State has condemned these actions.
As early voting is already in progress in several states, local election officials are ramping up security measures to safeguard their staff, polling places, and the integrity of ballots and voting processes from any potential disruption or tampering.
