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UpdatePennsylvaniaFriday, October 30, 2026

FBI investigating suspicious substance in Pennsylvania ballot envelope

What happened when an election worker found an unidentified substance in a mail ballot envelope in Chester County.

Reporting by
CBS News
“FBI investigating after suspicious substance found in Pennsylvania ballot envelope”, Friday, October 30, 2026
Read the full story
What happened

An election worker in West Chester, Pennsylvania, found an unidentified substance inside a mail-in ballot envelope on October 30. The discovery prompted a lockdown and hazmat response at the Chester County government building on Market Street. The building reopened within about 90 minutes and election processes were paused for roughly three hours.1

The envelope was turned over to the FBI for testing, with the DA's office and FBI conducting a joint investigation. Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said the envelope has not been opened and it remains unclear whether the ballot was mailed in or placed in a drop box.1

90 minutes
time until building reopened1
three hours
time election processes were paused1

Key dates in Pennsylvania

Election Day in 2 days
  1. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Registration deadline
  2. Tue, Oct 27 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 2 days
    Election Day; Mail ballots must arrive
  4. Mon, Nov 23 · 22 days
    County/Local certification

Every date in Pennsylvania, and who certifies the election

More on this story
Pennsylvania · Oct 30
933,000 mail ballots returned in Pennsylvania as of October 28
Reporting by Patch
Pennsylvania · Oct 29
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania extended drop box hours for mail ballots
Reporting by The Sunday Dispatch
The answers behind this
Mail and early votingVoting in Pennsylvania, 2026How are votes counted and certified in Pennsylvania?Who certifies the election in Pennsylvania, and by when?

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Sources

  1. CBS News, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihAFBVV95cUxPeS12aW1lM1FtY2JKZGg1THFta0tuTjJERDV4d0VmTE9hTXg3ZUNkNXd0QXVjVVNubjg2NDRWbjZ5bXRYR0RoOEpvdTdNOWliaTJUS0hjNVVyRml3b3k1ZU9XczcxazFuN0s5VFJ2bGY3SzhNcnVKUlVhMk9LQTlfUHR2TFY?oc=5 · Friday, October 30, 2026

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