The Virginia GOP said Tuesday that some voters are being incorrectly told at polling locations that masks must be worn in order to cast their vote.
“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.”
“Masks are NOT required to vote,” another tweet said. “There is no mask mandate in Virginia.”
As reported by Just the News, a senior editor at the Washington Free Beacon said that he was told to wear a mask to vote.
“Poll workers demanded I mask up in order to vote,” he wrote. “At no point did they ask to see my face to see if it matched the ID. Seems legit.”
The Legal Defense Fund addressed the issue on social media as well.
“Masks are encouraged but not required at polling sites in Virginia,” the group wrote. “If you forgot your mask, you should not be turned away for not having a mask. You should either request one from your polling place or request to vote curbside.”
Conservative columnist Charles Hurt said requiring a mask is a voter suppression tactic.
“To be clear,” he said, “this is illegal voter suppression. You may vote at any polling place in Virginia - even in schools - with or without a mask no matter what local election officials tell you.”
