Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Commutes Sentence of Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters

DENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday commuted the nine-year prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, reducing it roughly in half and making her eligible for parole on June 1.

Peters, 70, will remain a convicted felon but is expected to be released from state custody next month after serving approximately four years. The Democratic governor described the original sentence as unusually harsh for a first-time, nonviolent offender and said his decision followed a careful review of the case.

Peters served as Mesa County Clerk and Recorder from 2019 to 2023. In 2021, after the 2020 presidential election, she authorized an unauthorized individual — an associate linked to election denial efforts and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — to access and image the county’s Dominion Voting Systems election management server during a state-mandated security update. Prosecutors said she provided a fake access badge, had security cameras turned off, and later refused to comply with subpoenas and directives from the Colorado Secretary of State’s office.

A Mesa County jury convicted her in August 2024 on seven charges: three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty in elections, and failure to comply with the secretary of state. She was acquitted on three other counts. District Judge Matthew Barrett sentenced her to nine years in October 2024, calling her actions a breach of public trust that turned Mesa County into a “national laughingstock.”

A Colorado Court of Appeals panel later ruled that the original sentencing improperly considered Peters’ protected speech, ordering a resentencing. Polis acted before that process concluded, granting clemency as part of 44 separate actions announced Friday.

President Donald Trump, who has long championed Peters’ case and issued a symbolic pardon for her state conviction in December 2025, praised the move as “justice for a whistleblower.” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., echoed that sentiment, calling Peters a hero who tried to ensure election integrity.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Democratic leaders sharply criticized the commutation, saying it undermines public confidence in election administration and rewards efforts to interfere with voting systems. Election officials warned it could embolden further challenges to election security.

Peters has maintained she acted to preserve data for potential audits amid widespread questions about the 2020 election results. She ran unsuccessfully for Colorado secretary of state in 2022 and became a prominent figure in election integrity circles.

The commutation does not vacate her convictions or restore her right to hold public office. Peters is expected to be released from the Colorado Department of Corrections facility in Pueblo on or shortly after June 1.