Reuters
Jill Stein has pushed for recounts in three states won by Donald Trump
A US federal judge has blocked an attempt by a Green candidate to force a recount in Pennsylvania of votes cast in last month’s presidential election.
Jill Stein has sought a recount there, as well as in Michigan and Wisconsin. Donald Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in all three states.
His victory in Wisconsin was reaffirmed on Monday after a recount. In Michigan, a judge halted a recount last week.
At issue are fears that voting machines are vulnerable to hacking.
In Pennsylvania, Mr Trump beat Mrs Clinton by about 44,000 votes out of six million cast – less than 1%.
Announcing his ruling on Monday, 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.”
Could US election recounts change result?
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Reuters
Pennsylvania, a key state, was lost by Mrs Clinton by less than 1%
Correspondents say that none of the recounts were likely to change the final result.
Mrs Clinton has kept silent on the matter, but her campaign has said it will co-operate with Ms 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.
