Madison County is reporting widespread voting problems that could result in the hand-counting of ballots and delayed returns election night.

Madison Probate Judge Tommy Ragland said two main problems are causing “multiple calls.”

The first is voters “bearing down too hard and punching through” the paper ballots, Ragland said. The second is moisture-swollen ballots apparently caused by last night’s rainy climate.

In both cases, the affected ballots are not feeding through the electronic counter, Ragland said. If a second try doesn’t work, the ballot is being put into the “emergency bin.” It will be removed at the end of the day and tried again on the machine or hand-counted, Ragland said.

Both issues have appeared in earlier elections. He also said turnout “looks heavy.”