A white powdery substance found on a ballot in Adams County is consistent “with ordinary household cooking materials” and the voter had “no ill intent,” police said Friday.
The questionable ballot was taken from a ballot drop box in the county on Wednesday and the substance was found inside the envelope while being processed, said Josh Zygielbaum, Adams County Clerk and Recorder, at a Thursday news conference.
Once discovered, the ballot was isolated and election officials contacted the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Zygielbaum said.
Initial test results on the substance came back negative for narcotics, explosives and biological agents. Further testing was done by a state laboratory, Zygielbaum said.
On Friday, Thornton police said in a news release that “initial testing revealed the substance had consistencies with ordinary household cooking materials. Further lab testing confirmed that the substance was not harmful.
“Investigators interviewed the voter in Thornton who was very cooperative and disclosed no ill intent.”
The Thornton Police Department, FBI, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office partnered in the investigation.
