Washington (CNN) Former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said Sunday it is time to re-examine the Electoral College, after Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote to President-elect Donald Trump.

"We have one candidate who had two million more votes than the other candidate but she is not going to be sworn in as president, and I think on the surface that's a little bit weird," the Vermont senator told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union."

Other Democrats, including California Sen. Barbara Boxer, have flatly called for the Electoral College to be abolished and have presidents be elected by a simple popular vote. The effort gained some steam in Democratic-controlled statehouses in the years after Al Gore beat George W. Bush in the popular vote. But since any change would require a constitutional amendment, that appears highly unlikely to happen.

Sanders, meanwhile, hewed close to the line that Clinton's former campaign has walked on a recount effort being led by former Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The former Clinton campaign had been mum on calls for a recount, but said over the weekend that it would help the effort in Wisconsin.

Sanders said that even though Trump has called it a "scam" anyone has a right to a recount.

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