A recount of Michigan’s presidential voting starts at noon,.
Judge Mark Goldsmith issued his ruling overnight, rejecting an effort by state officials and Republicans to quash the recount, and then to wait two days to get started hand-counting about 4.8 million ballots.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein requested a recount, but Donald Trump sued elections officials to stop it.
Stein’s lawyers argued that waiting until Wednesday to start a recount would cut too close to the Dec. 13 deadline to have it finished.
Goldsmith ruled “The fundamental right invoked by plaintiffs — the right to vote, and to have that vote conducted fairly and counted accurately — is the bedrock of our nation.”
Lawyers for the state board and the Republicans argued Stein presented no evidence to back her allegations of possible hacking.
The Green Party also wants recounts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by 10,704 votes in Michigan. Stein received about 1 percent of the vote.