this sould fix it

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - name: install autotools
         run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y autoconf automake
-      - run: autoreconf -fi
+      - run: autoreconf -fi      
+      - run: touch configure configure.ac aclocal.m4 Makefile.in
       - name: tag must match version in configure.ac
         run: |
           ver=$(./configure --version | head -1 | awk '{print $NF}')