MADISON CO., Ala.(WAFF) – Thousands of ballots cast in the 2024 general election in Madison County are headed to the courthouse.

“They actually count in the district,” said Frank Barger, a Madison County probate judge. “That tabulator, that DS-200 machine, counts every ballot in your location.”

After that count, election officials took an encrypted chip containing vote numbers and ballots to the basement of the courthouse, Barger said. It is then verified by election officials.

After that, it moves to the upstairs lobby, where it will be posted on billboards and online on the secretary of state’s website, where it will remain up for the rest of the week. This is a difficult task for just a few hundred people.

Madison County saw over 60 percent voter turnout on Election Day.

“We had a very strong turnout today,” Barger said. “Surprisingly the vast majority of these happened before lunch and so we’re overwhelmed, and that’s not a bad thing, but we’re overwhelmed at most of our polling places because so many people voted first thing.”

This wave of early voting resulted in long lines that voters may encounter. Barger says this is not an unusual situation, coupled with reports of faulty voting machines in the county.

“This is not unusual on any election day. However, moisture can cause the paper to swell, which can lead to problems,” Barger said. “In addition, because the ballot papers are torn, they come out of the 50-count pads. If there is any hole left in the tab to which the ballot papers are attached, sometimes this can cause the machine to jam.”

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