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Jill Stein had followed procedures to demand a recount, but an objection by president-elect Donald Trump triggered a provision in state law that would have delayed the beginning of the recount until Tuesday or Wednesday. | AP Federal judge orders recount of presidential vote in Michigan

A federal judge acting on a suit brought by Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein has ordered Michigan officials to begin a recount of the votes in that state in last month's presidential election.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark Goldsmith issued the order Monday morning, just after midnight, insisting that the recount begin by noon Monday.

Stein had followed procedures to demand a recount, but an objection by president-elect Donald Trump triggered a provision in state law that would have delayed the beginning of the recount until Tuesday or Wednesday, possibly jeopardizing its completion by the December end of a critical window for states to transmit the names of electors to the federal government.

"Plaintiffs here have shown a credible threat that the recount, if delayed, would not be completed by the 'safe harbor' day," wrote Goldsmith, a Detroit-based judge appointed by President Barack Obama. "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. Without elections that are conducted fairly – and perceived to be fairly conducted – public confidence in our political institutions will swiftly erode."

Michigan officials argued at an unusual, three-hour Sunday hearing on the case that starting the recount immediately would be costly and that federal courts should generally refrain from tinkering with state's election procedures. However, Goldsmith said those concerns had to yield to others, given the urgency of the current situation and the importance of getting an accurate count of the vote.

Litigation related to the recount is also pending in a Michigan appeals court with a petition filed to take the issue to the Michigan Supreme Court. It's unclear how Goldsmith's order will affect those cases.

Official results from Michigan's first ballot count gave Trump a 10,704-vote margin over Hillary Clinton out of a total of nearly 5 million ballots cast in the state. Stein is in fourth place in the state, with 51, 463 votes, or about 1 percent of the total. She is also pursuing recounts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.