The unprecedented recount of the state’s almost 3 million presidential ballots by the Wisconsin Elections Commission began
The first day of the recount, which is expected to take just under two weeks, has proceeded smoothly thus far, according to the Elections Commission.
The process must be completed by Dec. 13, according to federal law, prior to the convening of the Electoral College Dec. 19 to formally elect the next president.
Dane County began the recount of its more than 300,000 ballots at the City-County Building, during which 36 to 40 staff members will work 12 hours a day for up to 12 days counting ballots by hand, according to Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell.
Candidate vote totals may change slightly due to incorrect ballot procedures from some voters, but no major changes are expected.
"I think it'll be very close to what was reported on election night," said McDonell.
Stein and her campaign have raised $6.5 million toward recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, three states critical to Republican Donald Trump’s victory in the Electoral College.
$3.5 million of those funds were paid to the Elections Committee to cover the estimated costs of the recount in Wisconsin.
“Verifying the vote through this recount is the only way to confirm that every vote has been counted securely and accurately and is not compromised by machine or human error, or by tampering or hacking," Stein said in a statement Thursday.
Trump won the state by about 22,000
“They don’t really expect the results to change, I think they just want the accountability. There’s also always the chance they turn up something,” said Green Party volunteer Kathy Walsh.
Walsh, along with about a dozen others, volunteered to observe the recount, which is open to the public, on behalf of the Green Party.
