Michigan recount beset by confusion; hearing set for Pa.

DETROIT — Uncertainty surrounded Michigan’s presidential vote recount Tuesday after a state court, disagreeing with a federal court ruling a day earlier, said Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein had no standing to seek the tally.

Meanwhile, the fate of a statewide recount push in Pennsylvania must wait at least until Friday, when a federal judge has scheduled a hearing on it.

President-elect Donald Trump narrowly defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in both states and Wisconsin, which started its recount last week. The recounts requested by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein were not expected to change enough votes to overturn the result of the election.

Here’s what’s happening in each state:

Michigan

A Michigan appeals court said Tuesday that Stein had no right to seek a recount because she finished in fourth place in the Nov. 8 election.

The court ordered the Michigan election board to reject her recount petition. It is unclear how that will affect the recount, which began on Monday under orders from a federal court.

The appeals court ruled in favor of Trump and the state attorney general, who argued that Stein is not an “aggrieved” candidate under Michigan law because there is no possible way for her to win the state even with a recount.

Wisconsin

Trump had widened his victory margin over Clinton in Wisconsin by 146 votes, with 23 of the state’s 72 counties having finished their recounts as of Tuesday. In those counties, Trump gained 105 votes and Clinton dropped 41 votes.

Trump defeated Clinton in Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes.

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond in Philadelphia scheduled a hearing Friday on the request for a recount. The Republican Party and Trump warned that the case threatens Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its election before the Dec. 13 federal deadline. Stein’s team hasn’t produced evidence of hacking, but calls Pennsylvania’s election system “a national disgrace.”

The latest count by state election officials showed Trump’s lead at 47,750 over Clinton, out of 6 million votes cast.