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Judge to rule on when Michigan vote recount can start

Posted at 6:28 PM, Dec 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-04 18:28:13-05

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Detroit is expected to rule on whether a recount of Michigan votes in November’s presidential election can proceed immediately or if elections officials will have to wait two business days to get started hand-counting about 4.8 million ballots.

Judge Mark Goldsmith said his decision would come Sunday following a hearing in U.S. District Court.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein requested a recount, but Republican President-elect Donald Trump sued elections officials to stop it.

Stein’s lawyers argued that waiting until Wednesday to start a recount would cut too close to the Dec. 13 deadline to have it finished.

The Green Party also wants recounts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton by 10,704 votes in Michigan. Stein received about 1 percent of the vote.