On Friday, May 15, Governor Polis pardoned 35 people and commuted the sentences of nine others, including former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted and sentenced for her role in a breach of her office’s election system.
As covered by journalist Chase Woodruff on Colorado Newsline on May 16:
Polis cut Peters’ sentence from nine years to four years and four and a half months, making her eligible to be released on parole June 1.
“The crimes you were convicted of are very serious and you deserve to spend time in prison for these offenses,” Polis said in his letter granting Peters’ commutation. “However, this is an extremely unusual and lengthy sentence for a first time offender who committed nonviolent crimes”…
…In a statement addressed to Polis and shared Friday with Newsline, Peters acknowledged her wrongdoing and said she will “avoid the mistakes of the past.”
“I made mistakes, and for those I am sorry,” Peters wrote. “Five years ago I misled the Secretary of State when allowing a person to gain access to county voting equipment. That was wrong. I have learned and grown during my time in prison and going forward I will make sure that my actions always follow the law.”
His decision to shorten Peters’ sentence was met with condemnation from other officials. Excerpted from press releases sent to the Daily Post…
From Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and current Democratic candidate for Governor:
“Gov. Polis’ commutation of Tina Peters’ sentence is mind-boggling and wrong as a matter of basic justice. She was convicted by a jury and sentenced for tampering with election equipment and undermining our elections. The judge imposed a reasonable sentence based on her criminal conduct, she has shown no remorse for her crimes, and now the governor is taking this unwise and unprecedented step of releasing her from prison early.
“Caving in to this president will only lead to more abuse from the bullying Trump administration. Today is a sad day for Colorado and the rule of law.”
From Matt Crane, Executive Director, Colorado County Clerks Association:
We are furious, disgusted, and deeply disappointed by the Governor’s decision. We have met with him privately to make our position unmistakably clear: Tina Peters deserves the accountability imposed through Colorado’s judicial system, and the Governor should, at the very least, respect that process and allow it to fully play out before intervening.
This case was thoroughly investigated, prosecuted, and adjudicated through the rule of law. Undermining that process before it has fully concluded sends a reckless and dangerous message to the public, to election officials, and to anyone entrusted with safeguarding our democratic institutions…
…At a time when election officials need strong support, this decision abandons them and supports the attack on the legitimacy of American elections.
There is no escaping the significance of this moment. This is now Governor Polis’s legacy…
From The League of Women Voters of Colorado:
The League of Women Voters of Colorado (LWVCO) holds an unwavering belief in representative government and the fundamental liberties enshrined in the United States Constitution — including the right of every citizen to free, fair, and secure elections. It is precisely because of these convictions that we are deeply troubled by Governor Polis’s decision to commute the sentence of Tina Peters.
Ms. Peters is not a sympathetic figure caught in a legal gray area. She is a former elected official who was unanimously convicted by a jury of her peers for crimes that struck at the very foundation of our democracy. She has expressed no remorse, and she continues to actively spread disinformation that erodes public confidence in Colorado’s electoral system. Commuting her sentence does not serve justice — it undermines it…
From U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper:
Tina Peters is guilty as sin and a disgrace to Colorado. She tried to undermine Colorado’s free and fair election system. When she was caught red-handed, she was prosecuted by a Republican district attorney and rightfully convicted by a jury of her peers.
Reducing her sentence sends the wrong message to those seeking to undermine trust in our elections and it will do nothing to deter Donald Trump’s illegal attacks on Colorado. I strongly disagree with this decision.
The Daily Post did not receive any press releases or letters supporting or celebrating the commutation of Ms. Peters’ sentence.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the release of Ms. Peters, including in the following Truth Social post from New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025:
God Bless Tina Peters, who is now, for two years out of nine, sitting in a Colorado Maximum Security Prison, at the age of 73, and sick, for the ‘crime’ of trying to stop the massive voter fraud that goes on in her State (where people are leaving in record numbers!). Hard to wish her a Happy New Year, but to the Scumbag Governor, and the disgusting ‘Republican’ (RINO!) DA, who did this to her (nothing happens to the Dems and their phony Mail In Ballot System that makes it impossible for a Republican to win an otherwise very winnable State!), I wish them only the worst. May they rot in Hell. FREE TINA PETTERS!
Governor Polis reacted to that posting:
I hope the President’s resolution this year is to spend less time online talking about me and more on making America more affordable by stopping his disastrous tariffs and fixing rising health care costs. Finally, I wish all Americans, including the President and all the wonderful people across the political spectrum, a happy, healthy and productive New Year.
Peters’ attorney claimed in November that her health is “deteriorating markedly,” with an undiagnosed cough, possible recurrence of lung cancer, constant pain in her neck, back and hips, sleep deprivation and cognitive decline.