'Election results were hacked' say activists urging Clinton to challenge count in three swing states

Some activists believe the results of the US presidential election are not as conclusive as previously thought.

A group of computer scientists and election lawyers are urging Hillary Clinton to challenge the results in three battleground states won by Donald Trump because they claim they have evidence the results in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin may have been manipulated or hacked.

According to New York Magazine, the group is not speaking on the record about its findings and is instead lobbying the Clinton campaign in private.

The activist group includes voting-rights attorney John Bonifaz and J Alex Halderman, the director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society.

On 17 November, the group held a conference call with Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta and campaign general counsel Marc Elias to discuss their findings.

New York Magazine reported the group found that the Democratic nominee got 7% fewer voters in Wisconsin counties that used electronic-voting machines instead of optical scanners or paper ballots.

This could have denied Clinton as many as 30,000 votes, the group claimed. Clinton lost Wisconsin by 27,000 votes. The group said it has not found proof of hacking but noted the pattern should be investigated.

President-elect Trump holds 290 electoral votes to Clinton's 232, with Michigan's 16 votes not given to either candidate as the race is too close to call.

If the results in Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) and Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes) were overturned and Michigan is given to Clinton, then the former secretary of state—who is currently winning the popular vote—would win the Electoral College.

The magazine also reported that at least six electors, or members of the Electoral College, have said they will not vote for Trump, even though he won their states. In order for Trump to lose the Electoral College, at least 21 electors would have to switch their vote.

Democratic electors are reportedly trying to convince their Republican counterparts to do just that. A petition circulated after the election also urged GOP electors to buck their party and not cast their vote for the President-elect.

Clinton's campaign just has a few days to challenge the election. The deadline to file for a recount is Friday (25 November) for Wisconsin, Monday (28 November) for Pennsylvania and Wednesday (30 November) for Michigan. New York Magazine reported a senior Clinton adviser has said the White House is not keen on Clinton challenging the election result.