Election workers at the Hamilton County Board of Elections found white powder inside an envelope Saturday, Oct. 24, triggering an evacuation of the administrative building in Norwood. The office serves voters across the Princeton corridor, including Sharonville, Springdale, Evendale and Woodlawn. Election Day is nine days away.

The discovery happened around 10:50 a.m. at the board's office at 4700 Smith Road, according to a statement from the Board of Elections reported by WLWT. Police and hazardous materials crews responded and cleared the building for re-entry a short time later. No one was injured.

Staff found the substance while sorting absentee ballot applications, Local 12 reported. The nature of the powder has not been publicly identified, and the FBI is investigating.

Only the administrative building was evacuated. The nearby Early Voting Center stayed open, and voters continued casting ballots without interruption.

"I'm always so proud of the bipartisan team here at the Board of Elections. Everyone remained calm. They followed our evacuation procedures," said Sherry Poland, director of the Hamilton County Board of Elections, in an interview with Local 12.

Poland said the board has already seen 40,000 early in-person voters, surpassing the roughly 34,000 who voted early in the last midterm, with a week of early voting still ahead.

Part of a nationwide pattern

The Norwood incident is the latest in a wave of suspicious mailings targeting election offices across the country. Election offices in at least 32 states were targeted with similar letters in the weeks before the Nov. 3 midterms, according to an investigation by WIRED. Most were intercepted by the U.S. Postal Service before reaching their destinations, but offices in Arizona, Delaware, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Louisiana were evacuated after letters arrived.

A suspicious package addressed to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office was intercepted by the Postal Service before it arrived, WLWT reported separately. LaRose said he was informed by other state offices that the powder in similar mailings tested as nonharmful. He told all 88 Ohio county boards of elections to remain vigilant.

Preliminary testing of the powder in letters opened in other states has found no hazardous materials, according to Axios. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed they are investigating the mailings nationwide.

Some letters listed the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) as the sender, using a New York City return address the organization has not occupied since 2013, according to Axios. The DSA has denied any involvement.

Early voting continues

Hamilton County's Early Voting Center at the Smith Road complex was open for its regular Saturday hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 24 and was not affected by the evacuation.

Poland said the board will offer extended hours during the final week of early voting: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. most days, with hours running until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. There is no in-person voting Monday, Nov. 2. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Hours on Oct. 31 are 8 a.m.–4 p.m., and on Nov. 1, 1–5 p.m.

Residents who see suspicious mail or packages in Norwood can call the Norwood Police Department or dial 911.