The Vermont Secretary of State’s office is distributing overdose-reversing medication to town clerks after the office received a suspicious package last month. The package was similar to ones containing white powder that were sent to election officials in other states.
Vermont was one of at least 15 states — including Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island — to receive these suspicious packages in mid-September. There were no reports that the packages contained hazardous materials, and in some cases, the white powder in the envelopes turned out to be flour, according to the Associated Press.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the incidents.
“We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters, and the motive behind the letters. As this is an ongoing matter we will not be commenting further on the investigation,” the FBI said in a written statement.
The spate of suspicious packages being sent to election officials around the country, and Vermont, spurred Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas to provide Narcan to all town clerks in the state.
There’s no evidence that these packages were sent to local election officials in Vermont, but it seemed “prudent to make sure that folks who are opening election mail in Vermont have access to [Narcan], in case any of the powder turns out to be fentanyl,” said Copeland Hanzas in an interview on Tuesday.
The Vermont Health Department helped the Secretary of State's office get the overdose reversal medication kits together.
"The kits include Narcan, the 4 mg nasal spray. This will help ensure our dedicated election workers have access to this life-saving medication in the rare event of accidental exposure to opioids, including fentanyl," said Stephanie Busch, the health department's injury prevention manager, in a written statement.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has driven the spike in fatal overdoses among drug users in recent years. But it’s not possible to overdose from brief skin contact with fentanyl, according to medical professionals. Fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin with doctor-prescribed skin patches, but that takes hours.
While the risk of an overdose might be low, the decision to provide town clerks with Narcan was about more than safety — it was also about responding to contentious rhetoric around this election, said Copeland Hanzas.
“There are a lot of people who are carrying a lot of anger and coming at these local public servants,” Copeland Hanzas said. “We wanted to provide this as a small bit of peace of mind that we've got your back.”
Many town clerks picked up their supply of Narcan at a recent training for town clerks and treasurers. The Secretary of State’s office is mailing the medication to those who couldn't make that meeting, Copeland Hanzas said.
In Fletcher, Assistant Town Clerk Aimee Tinker said she hadn’t received the Narcan in the mail yet. Tinker initially thought the medication was in case a voter overdosed at the polls, not a safeguard for her opening mail.
“Obviously, hearing more about it, it's not outside the realm of possibility, unfortunately, in the world we live in,” Tinker said in an interview on Tuesday. “I hope that it's not something we have to come across.”
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