The first candidate-driven statewide recount of a presidential election in 16 years has begun in Wisconsin.
The recount, requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, started early Thursday morning.
Stein has alleged that the state’s voting equipment may have been hacked.
Despite her claim, a Wisconsin judge refused to order local officials to conduct the state’s presidential recount by hand. Instead, counties have the opportunity to choose how they will conduct the presidential election recount.
According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, 49 counties plan to recount by hand, 13 counties plan to use optical scanners and 10 counties plan to use a combination of optical scanners and recounting by hand.
With county election officials across the state hiring temporary workers and expanding hours to cover the extra work the recount creates, many citizens are concerned about the cost.
Stein raised nearly $3.5 million to cover the costs of the Wisconsin recount, an amount she called “exorbitant” and “unconscionable.”
The $3.5 million cost Stein funded has been broken down by county on the Wisconsin Elections Commission's website to show how this total was estimated.
In Brown County, where a combination method will be used for the recount, the estimated cost is $190,337.
To find out which counting method will be used in your county and what the recount cost estimate is click here.
For more information about the Wisconsin presidential election recount, visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s website.
