VA Dept. of Elections commissioner says election 'about as smooth as we could ask for'

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'Tucker Carlson Tonight' host weighs in on the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races as polls close

Virginia Department of Elections Commissioner Chris Piper said Tuesday that the statewide election between former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin ran smoothly.

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Piper said, "Today was an overwhelmingly good day for Virginia," and that the election was "about as smooth as we could ask for," according to Richmond-based The Virginia Mercury.

Piper, who said 88,000 ballots had yet to be returned, said there was no update on that number as of Election Night, but assured that they would be counted if they arrive Friday by noon. 

"Today is another day of proof that we can run a very smooth election and that we can have confidence in the outcome of those results," he said, according to Reuters.

Piper's comments come amid claims that some voters were turned away from the polls for not wearing masks.

"There have been several reports from voters who say they were told by poll workers that they are required to wear a mask in order to vote," the Virginia GOP tweeted. "To be clear, if someone is not wearing a face covering they may NOT be turned away or refused their right to vote."

According to a Tuesday email from Piper to Virginia poll workers circulated by lawyer Harmeet K. Dhillon, he acknowledged reports that some voters were being turned away for failing to wear masks.

"You may not turn voters away because they are not wearing masks," Piper wrote. "While masks are encouraged, every eligible voter is entitled to cast a ballot at their polling place. It is not sufficient to offer curbside voting as an alternative."

The Virginia Department of Elections did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

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Last week, Piper asserted his confidence in the security of the Virginia gubernatorial election, telling local News 3 WTKR, "Here in Virginia, we have dedicated staff here at the Department of Elections to prevent election security issues. We're feeling very confident about our posture, our security posture. We've always been strong. We've only strengthened ourselves over the last few years."