Governor Polis Frees Tina Peters Against Clemency Board Vote, June 20

Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence of Tina Peters on June 1, freeing the former Mesa County Clerk from prison. Peters was convicted of allowing unauthorized access to county voting equipment. The decision overrides the unanimous recommendation of the state’s 11-member clemency board, which reviewed her application twice and rejected it both times. Board members say Polis ignored their recommendation without explanation.

What the Clemency Board Found

The clemency board received Peters’ application in January and voted unanimously to deny it. When the application returned for review in February, the board again voted unanimously against release. Civil rights attorney Azra Taslimi, a board member, said they found nothing new or compelling in Peters’ second submission. Taslimi described Peters’ accountability statement in the application as performative, not genuine.

Peters’ Statements Contradict Her Application

In her clemency application, Peters wrote: “For years, I have dedicated myself to fighting for fair and honest elections. But I made mistakes. Four years ago, I misled the Secretary of State when allowing a person to gain access to county voting equipment. That was wrong.” However, in a June interview after her release, Peters told Steve Bannon she believed Democrats would cheat in elections and that she served prison time as retribution. Board members felt validated in their skepticism about her remorse.

Political Pressure and Timing Questions

Taslimi said she believed Polis’ decision came from political pressure and backing from high-ranking officials including President Trump. Peters was released on June 1, one week before ballots for the June 30 primary were mailed to voters. A supporter of Peters is running for Mesa County Clerk, the position Peters previously held. Governor Polis’ office stated the governor believed the commutation was still the right decision but provided no additional details.

Final Thoughts

Polis overruled his own clemency board’s unanimous rejection to free Peters. The timing raises questions about political influence on clemency decisions and whether accountability matters in the process.

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