Former Mesa County, Colorado, Clerk Tina Peters was released from state prison on Monday, following lobbying efforts by President Donald Trump to reduce her sentence. Peters had been sentenced to nine years in prison for allowing an unauthorized person to access local electronic voting systems and copy hard drives, in an attempt to prove baseless allegations of 2020 election fraud.
Shortly after her release, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold issued a statement opposing the move: 'This sends a dangerous message about accountability for those who attack elections. Peters's release will also encourage the election denial movement.'
Peters, a Trump supporter, was part of the movement claiming that President Joe Biden's 2020 victory was fraudulent. She permitted a stranger to access voting machines and copy data, leading to a nine-year sentence for security violations. Nonetheless, the Trump administration issued a blanket pardon in November 2025 for those involved in election denial efforts, and Trump personally pardoned Peters the following month, despite her not facing federal charges. Because Peters's sentence was at the state level, the federal pardon had no effect, forcing Trump to pressure Colorado authorities.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis (Democrat) commuted Peters's sentence last month, calling the nine-year term 'disproportionate' for a first-time, nonviolent offender. 'Her crime was serious and deserved jail time, but this was an unusually long sentence,' Polis wrote. The decision sparked major controversy, drawing criticism from many Democrats, local officials, and government watchdog groups. Matt Crane, head of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said: 'We are angry, disgusted, and deeply disappointed.'
Shortly after her release, Peters appeared on Steve Bannon's podcast, repeating unfounded election fraud allegations. She said: 'I know the Democrats will cheat, and no one has really addressed the issue I went to prison to expose... the voting machines allowing votes to be flipped.' She also said she wrote a thank-you letter to Trump for his help. These comments immediately drew backlash from Democratic candidates for governor, including state Senator Michael Bennet, who said: 'Tina Peters is out of prison and spreading false claims about Colorado elections — that is not remorse.'
