Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies is reassuring voters that the county has not received any suspicious mail connected to an ongoing federal investigation into threatening letters sent to election officials and congressional offices across the country.
The FBI contacted the Monroe County elections office several days ago to provide information about suspicious mailings reported in multiple states. Some of the letters reportedly contained a white powdery substance and included threatening messages.
“I want to make sure that our voters know that nothing has come into Monroe County,” Hodies said. She added that the suspicious mail sent to Florida had already been intercepted by the FBI.
According to Hodies, the powdery substance was tested and determined not to be hazardous.
Hodies said she has been in regular contact with FBI offices in Key West and Miami throughout the week. She emphasized that the local elections office is working closely with law enforcement and other agencies to ensure the safety of employees and maintain the integrity of the election process.
“I have always been honest and transparent with our voters and with our community,” Hodies said. “I want to assure the voters and the community that there’s just absolutely nothing going on down here.”
She said the office is continuing preparations for the November 3 general election and has alerted employees to remain vigilant. Hodies also described additional procedures implemented for handling mail at the post office before election-related materials are brought into the elections office.
The office maintains contingency plans developed in coordination with federal and local officials, she said. Those plans address how the office would respond to a potential threat and how information would be communicated to the public.
Hodies praised the working relationships among the Supervisor of Elections office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the State Attorney’s Office, state election security officials, the FBI and the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
“When something happens, they’ve got us on the phone, and they help us to understand what is happening, what are the facts, and then what we need to do to put our contingency plan in place,” she said.
Hodies also credited the U.S. Postal Service for its role in the office’s security procedures, noting that she has discussed protocols with the local postmaster.
She urged voters not to let reports of suspicious mailings discourage them from participating in the upcoming election.
“Do not be afraid,” Hodies said. “We are doing everything that we can to protect this entire process.”
She explained that mail-in ballots are scanned when they are sent out and when they are returned. Voters who choose to vote by mail should continue to submit their ballots according to established procedures.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is October 22, according to the interview. Early voting is scheduled for October 19 through October 31, with Election Day on November 3.
Hodies also praised Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay for using the department’s digital road signs to publicize early voting dates. She said the signs would later be updated with Election Day voting information.
The effort is an example of cooperation between county departments to help residents access voting information, she said.
Despite the investigation into threats against election officials elsewhere, Hodies said Monroe County’s election preparations are continuing as planned.
“We’re going to continue to protect that process. We’re going to continue to move forward,” she said.
Hodies thanked voters for placing their confidence in her and said she remains committed to serving the community and protecting the election process.