Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office has denied requests by Republicans Tina Peters and Ron Hanks for hand recounts of results in the primary races they lost for secretary of state and U.S. Senate, respectively, a spokeswoman for Griswold said Wednesday.

But Peters isn’t done – she sent an email to 62 county clerks Tuesday to request a hand recount. The county clerks association said such a recount is potentially illegal.

Peters and Hanks, who based their campaigns in part on false claims involving widespread election fraud, had earlier asked for recounts in their races but didn’t submit required checks totaling $472,558 by last Friday’s deadline.

Hanks, a first-term state representative from Fremont County, finished behind business owner Joe O’Dea in the June 28 primary for the seat held by Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, with 45.5% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Peters, the Mesa County clerk facing multiple felony charges related to allegations she tampered with her county’s election equipment, came in second in a three-way primary with 28.8% of the vote, about 15 points behind the winner, former Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson.

Both results are well outside the margin that would trigger automatic recounts under Colorado law, but candidates have the option to ask for recounts if they pay for the procedures. According to cost estimates gathered from county clerks last week by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office in response to the pair’s initial recount requests, the tally for each recount is $236,279.

After they failed to pony up the funds, Hanks and Peters submitted letters requesting new cost estimates for hand recounts. But under rules adopted by Griswold’s Republican predecessor, recounts have to be conducted using the same method as the original count — in these cases, using electronic tabulation equipment.

Griswold’s office issued a statement Wednesday blasting the two candidates for making false allegations about Colorado’s election system in their follow-up requests for a hand recount.

“The Secretary of State’s Office has received letters from Ron Hanks and Tina Peters requesting cost estimates for hand recounts. The letters make a number of false allegations regarding Colorado’s election security and integrity. Unequivocally, these allegations are false. The Republican Senate and Secretary of State Primary race were each audited, and the results were confirmed as accurate by bipartisan election judges,” the office said.

“The Secretary of State’s Office followed all statutes and rules regarding requests for recounts and Mr. Hanks and Ms. Peters chose to not provide the certified funds as required under law. Coloradans made their voices heard and candidates should accept the results of a secure and fair election – not spread disinformation.”

In their requests for a hand recount, Hanks and Peters cite as one reason a recent warning issued by a federal cybersecurity agency about potential vulnerabilities in voting systems, but Griswold’s office notes in its response that the systems aren’t used in Colorado.

As part of the election certification process, clerks in every county have already conducted what’s known as a risk-limiting audit, which involves a hand count of ballots in specified races — including the secretary of state and the U.S. Senate contests in this year’s Republican primary — until officials can determine to a statistical certainty that the machine count was accurate. The audits all came to the same conclusion: Colorado’s primary vote was tabulated accurately.

The Colorado County Clerks Association on Wednesday afternoon said Peters sent requests to certain counties, seeking hand recounts.

“She did not specify which counties she would ask to conduct the recount, nor did she explain her authority to request this illegal form of recount,” the association said in a press release.

“Tina Peter’s request again shows her complete lack of knowledge about the rules and laws that underpin Colorado elections,” Matt Crane, who heads the association, said. “There is nothing in Colorado law that allows her to make this request directly to one or more counties. Our clerks have been working diligently throughout this primary election to carry out the full range of tests, audits and other checks they complete each election. And again, our results were proven safe and accurate.”

In her request, which was sent via email, Peters said she is a candidate with the standing to pursue a recount and that she intends to go forward with a recount request in selected counties.

“If you have not already been notified, and if you are on the list of those counties for a hand recount, you will be notified to coordinate the day/time that is mutually agreed upon,” her email said.

The association said the request went to every county except for Weld and Fremont. 

On Friday, a judge dismissed an arrest warrant issued for Peters after she left the state without permission, potentially violating her bond agreement. Her travel to Las Vegas came to light after the initial recount request she submitted included the stamp of a Nevada notary.

Peters is scheduled to appear in Mesa County District Court on Aug. 5 for arraignment on 10 felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged election equipment security breach she helped make happen in May 2021. She’s been barred from overseeing elections in the county since last summer by judicial orders.