Last week, Jill Stein, the presidential nominee of the Green Party, began pushing for recounts in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Early Sunday morning, Stein announced that she would drop the recounts at a state level on account of a ruling in Pennsylvania, citing that voters who request a recount must pay a $1 Million bond; and escalate the recount by filing for emergency relief federal court tweeting that "The people deserve answers." In a statement, Stein claimed that the state judiciary "has no interest in giving a fair hearing to these voters' legitimate concerns over the accuracy, security, and fairness of an election tainted by suspicion." Her campaign spokeswoman, Jordan Brueckner, added to Stein's statement by clarifying petitioners had withdrawn requests for a statewide recount, but precincts in Philadelphia, Allegheny, and Lehigh will continue. In addition, the campaign has begun pushing for a change in the voting software with Stein claiming that "#Recount2016 is so expensive because of elected leaders who have refused to invest in a 21st-century voting system." Her statement emphasized that the recounts are about reassurance in a fair election system that the people can trust, one that is against hacking, as well as both human and machine error.

The subject of a rigged election was a hot topic of President-Elect Donald Trump's campaign towards the tail-end of the race. The push for recounts has spurred discussion amongst both the Trump Administration and Republican Party about the effect of the recount, and whether or not it will impact the results of the election. Donald Trump tweeted, in response to Stein's persistence, claiming he would have won the popular vote "if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally." This is the first time Trump has claimed voter fraud since his campaign, where he went as far as to question the legitimacy of the results if they were not in his favor. However, there is no evidence to support the claim that "millions" have voted illegally in the 2016 election. He also claimed voter fraud specifically in Virginia, New Hampshire, and California; questions why the media has not reported on it, claiming serious bias.

The debate on the effect of the recounts is ongoing, with Hillary Clinton backing Stein for recounts in swing states.