MARSHALL — Murray County wasn’t the only area county to receive false bomb threats over the past week. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office also investigated a threat over the weekend.

This week, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office said election offices in more than half the counties in the state have received bomb threats since Nov. 8.

“I think it was pretty widespread,” said Lyon County Sheriff Eric Wallen.

Wallen said an email threatening the Lyon County Government Center in Marshall was reported on Saturday, although the email may have been sent on Friday. Law enforcement searched the Government Center, but did not find anything suspicious, Wallen said.

The Lyon County Government Center was closed on Saturday, so responders did not need to evacuate the building, Wallen said. That wasn’t the case when an email with a bomb threat was reported at the Murray County Government Center in Slayton. The Murray County Sheriff’s Office said the Government Center was evacuated and Murray County Central School was put on a short lockdown Tuesday, while a search was conducted.

“Threats of violence against election workers, aimed at disrupting our democracy, are absolutely unacceptable,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a statement Tuesday. “Although Election Day is over, election officials across the state are continuing their work to verify that the election was free, fair, accurate, and secure. Over the next few weeks, counties will be canvassing the election, certifying election results, and conducting post-election reviews.”

“Our office is coordinating with local, state, and federal partners to respond and ensure that our election officials can complete this important work and that those responsible for these threats are held accountable,” Simon said.

Wallen said he had heard other southwest Minnesota counties besides Lyon County had received threats. This week, county auditors in Martin County and Watonwan County also reported receiving threats via email.