Mysterious White Powder Sent to Maine Secretary of State Bellows

The USPS intercepted a package containing an unknown white powder that was meant for Maine's Secretary of State.

Election Officials in At Least 8 States Received the Powder-Containing Packages

Shenna Bellows appears to be one of several election officials in at least eight states who received similar packages this week. The Associated Press says it's not clear, at this point, whether the incidents are related.

READ MORE: Can Maine Police Legally Shoot Out the Tires in Your Car?

The package sent to Maine's top election official was confirmed by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows' office to contain a suspicious white powder that's now being analyzed to determine whether it's a threat or a hoax. According to the AP, there have been no confirmations that any of the white powder in packages across the country have contained hazardous material.

Maine's Secretary of State Encourages Residents to Show Respect During the Election

Secretary of State Bellows commented to News Center Maine about the incidents in other states:

It's really wrong when anyone threatens an election official or attempts to disrupt an election in any other way. Please, let's do this the Maine way: Be respectful, be kind.

Security is Being Increased Across the Country in Preparation for Election Day

According to the AP, this is another example of how the election season is heating up during a tense voting season. Election officials are increasing security at their polling places to keep their workers safe while also ensuring the process runs seamlessly.

We'll update this story as more details become available.