Suspicious mail sent to Marquette University, state election officials
Suspicious mail sent to Marquette University, state election officials, lawmakers
The FBI is investigating suspicious mail sent to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, and Congressman Mark Pocan. FOX6 News is first to report Marquette University was also targeted.
MILWAUKEE - The FBI is investigating suspicious mail sent to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, and Congressman Mark Pocan. FOX6 News is first to report Marquette University was also targeted.
Suspicious mail
What To Know:
The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating and trying to find the sender. This scare comes as Wisconsin gets ready for early voting to kick off Tuesday, October 20.
A suspicious mailing was also sent to the Marquette University Law School Poll. The Milwaukee Fire Department hazmat crew responded. The university told FOX6 News the tests found nothing dangerous.
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Congresswoman Gwen Moore already said her office in Milwaukee received mail with a suspicious substance. She said mail will no longer be sorted at that office.
FOX6 confirmed that Congressman Mark Pocan also received a suspicious piece of mail that arrived at his downtown Madison office. A spokesperson for Pocan said it was similar in appearance to other letters received by other offices. It was not opened and the Madison Fire Department was called and responded along with a HAZMAT team. Initial tests on site came back negative, but the mail is being sent to the Wisconsin Lab of Hygiene for further testing.
Wisconsin elections: Legislature control up for grabs in November
With control of the state's future on the ballot, voters will decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the Wisconsin Legislature.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission said it too received suspicious mail with a powdery substance on Wednesday, and it, too, was deemed to not be dangerous.
"Obviously, this kind of event has no place in Wisconsin elections, Wisconsin election officials are very busy preparing for the election. But we won't let this kind of thing be a disruption. But we also know that we are very well-trained and prepared for these types of things, and that we have been for the last few years, and so I don't think that this shook anybody because we we're ready for these types of things," Meagan Wolfe, administrator for the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said.
The state elections commission said if you are returning an absentee ballot by mail – they urge you put it in the mail by tomorrow – to give enough time for it to get back to your clerk. Otherwise – you can check with your clerk about dropping it off. Milwaukee has 15 absentee ballot drop boxes, including at all library branches.
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Early voting
What you can do:
Just a reminder—early voting kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Wisconsin’s in-person voting kicks off tomorrow. Check with your local clerk for hours, as each municipality offers their own hours. Milwaukee will open 11 sites.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jason Calvi and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Milwaukee Fire Department, Marquette University, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Meagan Wolfe, the Wisconsin Elections Commission and FOX6 News.