As recount looms, Trump claims voter fraud in Virginia

By Kara Dixon – HAMPTON ROADS, VA. (WAVY) – Weeks following the presidential election and things are still heating up in battleground states. With claims of possible voter fraud, a recount effort will soon be underway in Wisconsin.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein filled for the recount this week after raising more than $6 million for recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

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"This was a hack-riddled election and on top of that are voting machines are very open to hacking," Stein told NBC.

Hillary Clinton's campaign announced they would participate in the recount and back Stein's efforts. The Clinton campaign's legal counselor, Marc Ellis, wrote in an article that the campaign received hundreds of calls, messages, and emails urging them to take action about possible voter fraud.

Ellis wrote they have worked with lawyers, analysts, and data scientists since the day after to election to look into the possibility of hacking.

Ellis wrote:

"Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all side."

President-elect Donald Trump voiced his concerns online tweeting that Clinton had already conceded to him and the results of the recount would not change the election results.

Trump went on to say he won the Electoral College and the popular vote; "if you deduct the number of people who voted illegally."

Results show that Clinton won the popular vote by more than 2 million votes. Trump went on to allege voter fraud happened in several states including Virginia.

Virginia Democratic Congressman-elect Donald McEachin released his own statement calling for Trump to retract his statements.

McEachin stated "Without a shred of evidence, Donald Trump is recklessly alleging that millions of Americans who went to the polls and exercised their right to vote have together committed a massive, systemic crime. He is attacking the very citizens he is supposed to lead as president."

10 On Your Side reached out the Virginia Department of Elections for a comment about Trump's allegations.

Stay on WAVY.com for developments in this story.