On Monday, Sept. 16, the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Elections Division received a suspicious package similar to those distributed to eight other states.

Thanks to information provided by federal agencies and partners, Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office had been notified of the potential package and was on high alert.

“Upon receipt, our staff handled the package in accordance with guidelines distributed by federal agents, and the package was promptly picked up by the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security where it is currently being tested,” Watson said Tuesday.

Other states have confirmed the package to include a white powdery substance which did not contain hazardous materials.

The Elections Division has notified county election officials of the incident and urged extra precaution.