A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a request by supporters of Presiden-elect Donald Trump [official profile] to block Wisconsin’s recount. Judge James Patterson ruled [Reuters report] that “the recount is an inherent part of what ensures the integrity of elections.” The challenge came from the Great America political action committee [website] and Stop Hillary PAC, both forming a challenge to stop the recount in the state. The state election committee has stated that the recount is around 88 percent complete, and expects the results to be concluded by Monday. Even if the recount is to go through, it was unlikely that recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania would have been able to change the ultimate outcome of the election.

Of the three states where Green Party [party website] candidate Jill Stein [campaign website] officially started a recount, Wisconsin may be the only one where the recount can go through. On Thursday a federal judge halted [JURIST report] the Michigan recount, citing that Stein did not have an actual chance at winning the election. That decision came after a challenge [JURIST report] brought by Trump supporters over the legality of the recount in all three states. In late November a Wisconsin Judge refused a request [JURIST report] to make the recount by conducted by hand. Earlier that week Hilary Clinton [campaign website] had joined the recount [JURIST report] challenge in the state of Wisconsin.