SALT LAKE CITY — Utah officials are looking at providing Narcan to ballot processing centers and asking county election clerks to wear gloves when opening mail after a series of suspicious letters started appearing across the country.
The suspicious letters started showing up in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Georgia and Texas. Some have been laced with fentanyl, authorities said. In Washington state, one letter read in part "End Elections Now." The FBI and local authorities in those states are investigating.
Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson, Utah's top elections official, is warning county clerks to prepare for the possibility that the letters might show up here.
"Free and fair elections are a pillar of democracy. Political violence in any form will not be tolerated. Perpetrators should be punished to the fullest extent of the law," she said.
Lt. Gov. Henderson told FOX 13 News she was speaking with Utah's Department of Health & Human Services to procure supplies and training resources for county election workers in light of the threats. She said some things they could do include having elections offices use gloves to handle mail and having Narcan available in ballot processing centers, just in case. She also would push for mental health resources to be made available to elections workers, because of the stress of the situation with an election just over a week away.
"It's a tough environment. These are front line workers who are vital to protecting democracy. We are working to support them physically and emotionally in every way we can," she said.
Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch said he was glad for the support from the state.
"We're on alert. We're aware. We’re not panicking, we can’t do that. We’ve got too much to do," he told FOX 13 News. "We’ve got to focus and make proper decisions. So we’re just being particularly cautious."
Sen. Jennifer Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, who is also a physician who came into office pushing for expanded Naloxone access and opioid overdose education, said she applauded efforts to protect election workers but added fortunately, threats from accidental exposure to fentanyl is negligible.
"Accidentally coming into contact with (or touching) fentanyl powder does not pose a threat to the safety of our election workers. Even in factories where fentanyl is commercially manufactured, accidental skin and nasal exposures in workers have not shown toxicity," she said in a text message on Saturday.
"I also want our election staff to feel safety and to know the facts. Let’s help them know that these attempts to terrorize valued public servants are not actually capable of causing an overdose and physically harming them."
