# Colorado governor commutes ex-clerk Peters' sentence amid Trump pressure  
**Published:** 2026-05-18T09:00:50.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/colorado-gov-polis-cuts-tina-peters-prison-sentence-in-half/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/colorado-governor-commutes-ex-clerk-peters-sentence-amid-trump-pressure

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday commuted the sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, reducing her prison term from nine years to four years and four and a half months and making her eligible for parole on June 1, according to [the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/colorado-gov-polis-cuts-tina-peters-prison-sentence-in-half/).

Peters was convicted in August 2024 of multiple felony counts, including attempting to influence a public servant, in connection with her role in a 2021 security breach of Mesa County's election system. The former Republican county clerk allowed unauthorized access to voting equipment during a software update in what prosecutors say was an attempt to find evidence of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election. No evidence of fraud was found.

Polis acknowledged in his commutation letter that Peters' crimes were serious but argued the sentence was unusually lengthy for a first-time nonviolent offender. The governor cited an April appeals court ruling that found the judge had improperly considered Peters' statements about election fraud, which are constitutionally protected speech, in determining her sentence.

"However, this is an extremely unusual and lengthy sentence for a first time offender who committed nonviolent crimes," Polis wrote.

The decision immediately drew condemnation from Colorado Democrats. Attorney General Phil Weiser, whose office helped prosecute Peters, called it "a sad day for Colorado and the rule of law." Secretary of State Jena Griswold said the commutation will "validate and embolden the election denial movement."

Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said the decision "signals that it is open season on our election and election officials" and accused Polis of "bending the knee" to Trump.

Peters' commutation came after months of pressure from President Donald Trump, who [posted "FREE TINA!" on Truth Social](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116580615618774330) following the announcement. Trump issued a symbolic pardon for Peters in December, though presidential pardons do not extend to state crimes.

In her statement, Peters acknowledged wrongdoing for the first time, writing: "I made mistakes, and for those I am sorry." She pledged to follow the law going forward and said she plans to advocate for prison reform and what she describes as election integrity upon release.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/colorado-gov-polis-cuts-tina-peters-prison-sentence-in-half/)
- [Trump's Truth Social post](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116580615618774330)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/18/repub/colorado-gov-polis-cuts-tina-peters-prison-sentence-in-half/.