Democratic challenger John Lehman officially wins against incumbent Van Wanggaard in a recount of the race in that district, according to results released today.

Wanggaard called for the recount after the June 5 election results showed he was down by just 826 votes.

Official numbers from the Government Accountability Board released today show that the final tally still has Lehman up by 819 votes. The recount was conducted by the Racine County Board of Canvassers and lasted from June 20 until July 2.

"Sen. Wanggaard's campaign has until close of business on Tuesday, July 10, to file a challenge in court. If no challenge is filed, the G.A.B. will certify the results, possibly on Wednesday, July 11," according to the GAB.

The Wisconsin State Senate will flip to Democratic control when the race is certified.

A press release from the Wanggaard campaign does not close the door on the possibility of a challenge being filed to the results, however. The senator raises several concerns about alleged problems discovered during the recount, including "missing pages in poll books, missing signatures, wrong voter numbers, wrong and unverified addresses...unsealed and sealed and reopened ballot bags."

"Unfortunately, rather than clarify the myriad of issues that surfaced on June 5, the recount uncovered even more suspicious activity," Wanggaard claims.

The GAB said that the failure of some voters to sign poll books was an administrative error, and that those votes still counted.

Because of recent changes to election law still in effect despite two court-ordered injunctions against certain other voter ID provisions, voters must sign a poll book or supplemental poll list before voting, including voters who register on Election Day, according Michael Haas, a staff attorney with the GAB.

Similar allegations of unsealed ballot bags and miscounted votes arose during the Wisconsin Supreme Court election between Justice David Prosser and challenger Joanne Kloppenburg last year.

Wanggaard has said he will take "the next couple of days" to decide what his next course of action will be.

Emily Mills

Editor-At-Large

Emily Mills is Editor-At-Large for Dane101, as well as Editor of Our Lives Magazine. She is also a freelance writer, photographer, actor, and musician (drummer and singer in local band Little Red Wolf). Originally from several states up and down the Midwest Emily has called Madison home since 2000. Contact her at