Yakima Auditor Creates Suspicious Mail Safety Plan For Next Vote

While Yakima County hasn't received a potentially dangerous envelope containing  'powder' like some other election offices in the state Yakima County Auditor Charles Ross says he's working to improve the existing safety plan to protect employees and the public just in case.

THURSTON COUNTY WAS THE LATEST COUNTY TO GET AN ENVELOPE WILL YAKIMA BE NEXT?

The latest county to receive an envelope containing a white powder is Thurston County. The envelope was isolated and turned over to law enforcement before it was opened by election staff. Similar envelopes have been sent to election offices in King, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane and Snohomish counties. The envelopes sent to King and Spokane counties tested positive for fentanyl.

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YAKIMA AUDITOR CHARLES ROSS SAYS YAKIMA COUNTY IS PREPARED

Ross says the most important part of a plan in Yakima is the availability of Narcan, an anti-opioid drug that could help someone exposed to fentanyl from a suspicious envelope. Ross is working with local, state and federal officials on the safety plan that was initially put in place to protect election workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ROSS HOLDING DRILLS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE

Now Ross says he's working expand the plan to include drills to make sure everyone knows what to do if a suspicious envelope is ever received in Yakima County. He says currently they have protocols in place that he won't talk about to protect employees and procedures for follow up.

A RAMPED UP PLAN IS ON THE WAY

Ross says while precautions are already in place he hopes to have a beefed up safety plan in place before the upcoming presidential election where he says the state and county election offices could see other suspicious envelopes containing a white powder that could be the deadly drug fentanyl.

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