Recount 2016: Judge Paul Diamond Rejects Bid for Pennsylvania Vote Recount

A federal judge has blocked Jill Stein’s attempt to force a recount in Pennsylvania of votes cast in last month’s presidential election.

The Green Party’s candidate has sought a recount there, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin. Donald Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in all three states.

Last week a judge halted a recount in Michigan after three days.

Wisconsin’s is expected to finish on December 12. At issue are fears that voting machines are vulnerable to hacking.

In Pennsylvania, Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by about 44,000 votes out of 6 million cast – less than 1%.

Announcing his ruling on December 12, US District Judge Paul Diamond said: “There is no credible evidence that any <<hack>> occurred, and compelling evidence that Pennsylvania’s voting system was not in any way compromised.”

Correspondents say that none of the recounts were likely to change the final result.

Hillary Clinton has kept silent on the matter, but her campaign has said it will co-operate with Jill Stein’s recount efforts.

Unlike Wisconsin and Michigan, most of Pennsylvania’s voting machines leave no paper trail. This would have made a recount there a cumbersome process.

Requests would have had to be filed for each individual precinct.