A state Democratic Party spokesman accused a Republican official Tuesday night of tampering with votes in the tight 8th Senate District recall race.

With 10 of 11 Waukesha County wards still out -- including all of those in Menomonee Falls -- party spokesman Graeme Zielinski said, "We believe the election in this contest has been tampered with by Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus.

"She’s sitting on votes. We believe that right now, there are severe irregularities in Waukesha County once again. We believe the very fate of the Wisconsin Senate hangs in the balance and is in the hands of a woman who has already shown extreme incompetence.”

“We believe there’s dirty tricks afoot.”

Democrats are demanding an investigation or at least an explanation, Zielinski said, and he added the party’s legal team is looking into it.

Shortly after Zielinski made that statement, results came in from nine Menomonee Falls wards, swinging the lead to incumbent Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills).

Nickolaus came under scrutiny in the state Supreme Court race, when she reported a vote total that omitted the entire city of Brookfield.