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Election Recount Result: Does It Threaten Trump’s Presidency?

By April Ryder
Published on: 18:04 PST, Nov 29, 2016

Election recounts have been the proverbial “talk of the town” for the last few days, but what does it all mean? The proposal on the table currently is that a recount is necessary for three key U.S. states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In layman’s terms, how does an election recount in three states change anything?

It may seem like a highly complicated process, but do not be deceived. There are three main points to keep in mind when considering an election recount. How might the electoral college numbers shift if the votes were to shift in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin or any other combination of the three? What are the exact numbers needed to turn the outcome, and who the hell is going to pay for it all?

How might the electoral college numbers shift if the votes also shifted in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin or any other combination of the three?

If the election recount were to swing for Hillary Clinton in all three states, 46 electoral college votes would add to her current total of 232. Pennsylvania carries 20 votes, Michigan 16, and Wisconsin 10. This would make her final total 278, and secure the Presidency. Donald Trump would be left with 260 electoral votes, which is ten shy of the required 270 and therefore lose.

electoral college
[Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]

What exactly are the numbers needed to cause such a shift?

Let us break down the numbers. Hopefully, this will provide a complete picture for everyone. Election results in Pennsylvania currently have Trump winning the vote by a span of 70,638 votes. In Michigan, Trump won by 10,704 votes, and in Wisconsin, he took the electorates by 22,177 votes.

These number may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the total population of the United States, but reality is quite a different story. If the count shifted by this large of an error, it would be clear evidence of voter fraud. There would have to be an investigation. In this case, Clinton would have a chance at reversing the initial decision for President, but it is not very likely.

Election recount results will only swing the outcome of the Presidential Election if voter numbers favor Clinton in all three states. Any other combination would not give her enough electoral votes to clinch the win.

Who the hell is going to pay for all this labor?

election recount
[Image by D. Ross Cameron/AP Images]

Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein has raised over six million dollars towards the cause of an election recount in PA, MI, and WI. The state of Wisconsin will be the first to recount. They have agreed to perform the action given that the cost of approximately 3.5 million dollars is paid to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Today, Stein paid that cost and the recount is scheduled to take place later this week.

The remaining two states have yet to be formally petitioned by the candidate, but it is expected that they too will move forward with the election recount. The likelihood that the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election will be changed to favor Clinton is small. Stein herself has publicly stated that she does not expect the results to change. Clinton followed suit, along with Trump as he Tweeted that the recount was a “scam.”

[Featured Image by Tony Hicks/AP Images]

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