Colorado Governor Commutes Tina Peters' Sentence

Seventy-year-old Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk, will be released from a Colorado prison on June 1 after Gov. Jared Polis commuted her nine-year sentence.

Peters was convicted on several felony counts tied to her efforts to examine the county's electronic voting system after the 2020 election. She provided source code to an outside adviser to test whether the system was vulnerable. No votes were changed as a result of her actions, and she was acquitted of identity theft.

Mesa County District Judge Matthew Barrett sentenced Peters to nine years in prison. An appellate panel later ordered resentencing, citing concerns that Barrett had punished her for statements about election fraud that were protected by the First Amendment.

President Trump and the Justice Department pressed for her release, including filing a statement of interest in her federal habeas case. Polis faced opposition from Democratic officials, including Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubenstein and state Attorney General Phil Weiser.

Peters said she was grateful for the clemency and pledged to live a law-abiding life. She will return home to care for her mother, who is nearly 100.

Polis said he hoped Democrats would not abandon their support for free speech for political reasons. The decision drew sharp criticism from some Democrats, including Sen. Michael Bennet and election lawyer Marc Elias.