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01/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/14/2026 09:41
January 14 - Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Colorado County Clerks Association send Joint Letter to Governor Jared Polis
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Colorado County Clerks Association send Joint Letter to Governor Jared Polis
Denver, January 14, 2026 - Yesterday, Tuesday, January 13, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and the Colorado County Clerks Association sent a joint letter to Governor Jared Polis asking that he not pardon or commute the sentence of Tina Peters.
The full text of the letter can be read in PDF format or below:
Governor Polis,
We write to you to ask that you do not pardon Tina Peters or commute her sentence.
In 2021, then-Clerk Tina Peters coordinated the breach of her own election equipment in the nation's first public elections insider threat. Tina Peters granted unauthorized access to her county's voting equipment, and in doing so she placed the security of Mesa County elections - and public trust in democracy - at risk.
Peters was found guilty of seven felonies and misdemeanors by a jury of her peers, in conservative Mesa County. Today, she remains one of the only people to face real accountability for attacking American elections. She has taken no responsibility for her actions and has shown no remorse.
The harm caused by Tina Peters has spread well beyond the borders of Mesa County. Her actions have been repeatedly used to spread conspiracy theories, amplify falsehoods, and fuel dangerous election lies. This in turn has increased the threats to election officials and election infrastructure across our state.
Releasing Tina Peters via pardon or commutation would validate her actions and embolden election denialism in Colorado and across the country. It would send a loud message to those who would attack our elections and democracy that they too may have immunity. It also would send the demoralizing message to those of us who protect our elections and democracy - our county clerks, their staff, election judges, and Secretary of State staff - that our work is meaningless.
Caving into the demands of a vengeful President does not make our state or country better off; it encourages more vengeance. Please stand with us on the right side of history by upholding Colorado's laws and our democracy.
Sincerely,
Jena Griswold
Colorado Secretary of State
Hayle Johnson
Jackson County Clerk & Recorder and Chair, Colorado County Clerks Association
Matt Crane
Executive Director, Colorado County Clerks Association
Colorado Secretary of State published this content on January 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 14, 2026 at 15:41 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]