US Green party plans to request recount in three states

The US Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein is ramping up to request recounts of the election results in three key states after raising $2m through an online fundraising page.

Stein set up the page with the aim of raising enough money to request reviews of the results in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which her campaign estimated was around $6 to $7m.

Before midnight on Wednesday the drive had already raised more than the $2m necessary to file for a recount in Wisconsin where the deadline to do so is on Friday. By 5am EST it had reached $2.5m.

The party leader said she was acting due to “compelling evidence of voting anomalies” and that data analysis had indicated “significant discrepancies in vote totals” that were released by state authorities.

“These concerns need to be investigated before the 2016 presidential election is certified,” she said in a statement. “We deserve elections we can trust.”

The move comes after academics and activists raised concerns over foreign hackers interfering with electronic election systems.

Shortly after Clinton’s defeat, US intelligence agencies of public assessments released a statement saying Russian hackers were behind intrusions into regional electoral computer systems and the theft of emails from Democratic officials before the election.

Donald Trump had narrowly won against Clinton in Pennsylvania by 1.2% and Wisconsin by 0.3% earlier this month and may win Michigan, where the final result has not been declared yet.

Stein’s campaign made it clear that they were acting to ensure the election results were authentic and not because they thought she had one any of the states.

Voting machines are banned in states like California after security analysts showed they can easily be hacked into.

Dozens of professors specialising in cybersecurity, defense and election have signed an open letter to congressional leaders requesting action from lawmakers on trying to stop foreign interference.

“Our country needs a thorough, public congressional investigation into the role that foreign powers played in the months leading up to November,” said academics.