Former Mesa County election clerk Tina Peters will walk free from a Colorado state prison on Monday after serving nearly two years for facilitating a breach of local voting equipment in 2020. Gov. Jared Polis formally approved her commutation last month, authorizing her release to Grand Junction, Colo., under parole supervision.
The governor confirmed the commutation in a formal letter to Peters. “I am writing to inform you that I am granting your application for commutation,” Polis wrote. The decision followed sustained pressure from President Donald Trump, who repeatedly characterized Peters, 70, as a “political prisoner” and a “hostage” and called on Colorado officials to free her. The White House’s involvement elevated a local criminal case to a national political flashpoint.
Polis, a Democrat, has faced formal political consequences for the action. State party leaders recently censured the governor for ordering Peters’ release, arguing the commutation disregarded the judicial process. The censure underscores the internal party friction the decision generated in Colorado.
Peters was sentenced to prison in 2024 for her role in a scheme to access Mesa County’s election infrastructure. Court records show she allowed an election denier, who was not a certified county election officer, to enter the Mesa County Elections Division office. The intruder attempted to copy the hard drive of the county’s voting system in an effort to generate data supporting claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against Trump.
Peters will be released on parole to Grand Junction, a city of approximately 72,000 residents in western Colorado where she previously served as an election official and owns a home. Officials have not made the specific terms of her parole public.
The scheme drew widespread criticism from local leaders, including members of the Mesa County Republican Party, who condemned Peters’ actions. The legal proceedings and prosecution cost the county more than $1 million in fees borne by local taxpayers.
“I hate that this is what my town is known for,” said Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubinstein, who led the prosecution. Rubinstein’s comments highlight the ongoing frustration among local officials regarding the reputational and financial damage caused by the breach.