Independent candidate Jill Stein raised nearly $5 million this week in order to pay for recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania amid allegations some U.S. election polls were hacked or rigged, leading to Donald Trump‘s victory.
Stein launched an online fundraising campaign Wednesday afternoon stating, “Data suggests a significant need to verify machine-counted vote totals.”
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By Thursday morning the campaign had reached $3 million; by Friday it had raised more than $4.8 million. The goal of the fundraiser was increased at least twice, and stands at $7 million.
“Congratulations on meeting the recount costs for Wisconsin and Pennsylvania!!” the updated page reads.
“Now that we have completed funding Wisconsin’s recount (where we will file on Friday) and funding Pennsylvania’s recount (due Monday), we will focus on raising the needed funds for Michigan’s recount (due Wednesday). “
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In anticipation of Stein filing for a recount before Friday’s deadline, a notice has been sent to Wisconsin counties asking for an estimated cost to perform a recount.
According to the page, filing fees for Wisconsin are $1.1 million, in Pennsylvania it’s $500,000, and in Michigan it is $600,000. On top of the filing fees are attorney fees, pegged at upwards of $3 million, and the costs of recount observers.
The total cost for a recount in all three states could be upwards of $7 million, according to Stein’s fundraising page.
Hillary Clinton has been urged to demand recount in the three key states, over concerns the polls may have been hacked. Prominent analysts, political experts and lawyers have been joining voices to push for the recounts, along with an investigation into unseen factors at play. Though no evidence of polls being hacked or rigged as been released to the public.
Despite losing the Electoral College, Clinton holds a popular vote lead of more than 2.1 million over President-elect Trump.
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Trump claimed throughout his campaign that the results would be “rigged” against him.
As it stands, Clinton has 10,707 fewer votes than Trump in Michigan, 22,525 fewer votes than Trump in Wisconsin, and 70,010 fewer votes than Trump in Pennsylvania.
Trump has 290 Electoral College votes to Clinton’s 232; a candidate needs 270 to win. The three states in question hold a total of 46 Electoral College votes; 30 of those have already been nabbed by Trump with Michigan’s 16 still to be determined.
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Stein’s campaign isn’t aimed at helping Clinton, the fundraising page points out, but rather at ensuring accuracy in election results.
The money raised does not guarantee a recount will happen; in the event a recount does not happen all funds collected will be put toward “election integrity efforts.”
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