Posted: Saturday, July 14, 2012 --- 2:30p.m.

RACINE, Wis. (AP) -- Racine County investigators who looked into four complaints of alleged voter fraud say they found no evidence of criminal activity.

The sheriff's department and prosecutor's office spent a month looking into the claims. Complaints included the discovery of voter-registration documents in a garbage can and allegations that absentee ballots were mishandled.

The complaints arose after Republican state Sen. Van Wanggaard lost a recall election last month to Democratic challenger John Lehman.

A Journal Times of Racine report (http://bit.ly/MpcbTd ) quotes authorities as saying Friday they conducted a "thorough inquiry" and found nothing that rose to the level of criminal activity.

Republicans had hinted at a challenge of the recall outcome because of the allegations. The state elections board fired back that such "unsubstantiated allegations" undermine public confidence.

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Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.