Colorado’s Democratic governor commutes ex-election clerk Tina Peters’ sentence after Trump pressure

Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters on Friday, reducing her nine-year prison term for election-related crimes. Peters, 70, was convicted in 2024 after allowing an outside expert—linked to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell—to copy her county’s Dominion Voting Systems election server during a 2021 update. The commutation comes after an appeals court upheld her conviction but ruled her original sentence was excessive for a first-time offender. Polis acknowledged Peters’ crimes in a letter but cited her demonstrated remorse and commitment to following the law. He noted her sentence was unusually long for nonviolent offenses. Peters, who has been incarcerated since her conviction, will be released on June 1. In a statement, she apologized for misleading state officials and pledged to uphold the law moving forward. The decision drew sharp criticism from Colorado Democrats. Secretary of State Jena Griswold called it a ‘dark day for democracy,’ warning that Polis’ action sends a message to lawbreakers that they will face no consequences. Senator Michael Bennet, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, condemned the commutation, calling Peters’ actions a deliberate undermining of elections. Peters’ case gained national attention after she joined Lindell at a 2021 ‘cybersymposium,’ where she claimed to expose election fraud. Videos and photos from the event, including passwords, were later leaked online. Trump has repeatedly championed Peters, posting ‘FREE TINA!’ on Truth Social following the commutation. Peters was convicted of state crimes, which made her ineligible for a presidential pardon—unlike some January 6 defendants Trump has pardoned. Her release marks another instance of a Trump ally avoiding penalties for election-related misconduct, further fueling debates over accountability in post-2020 election disputes.