Secretary of State Jena Griswold Issues Statement Following Tina Peters Sentencing

Denver, October 3, 2024 - Today former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison and six months in jail for her role in the breach of her own election equipment in 2021. Secretary of State Jena Griswold has issued the following statement:

“Tina Peters has been sentenced to nine years of incarceration for her dangerous attempts to break into her own election equipment to prove Trump’s 'Big Lie.' We will not allow anyone to threaten our elections.

“Colorado’s elections are the nation’s gold standard. I am proud of how we have responded to the first insider elections breach in the nation, and look forward to another secure and successful election in November.”

On August 12, Tina Peters was found guilty by a jury of her peers on four felonies and three misdemeanors, including three counts of attempts to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, one count of first degree official misconduct, one count of violation of duty, and one count of failure to comply with requirements of the Secretary of State.

In 2021, Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters compromised her county’s voting equipment trying to prove conspiracies. Secretary Griswold took swift action when discovering the incident, including decertifying the county’s voting equipment, working with Mesa County commissioners to remove Peters of election oversight, appointing a former Republican Secretary of State to oversee the election, and then leading the nation’s first law on insider threats.

Peters’ actions cost Mesa County nearly one million dollars in replacement equipment.

Colorado was the first state in the country to publicly address an insider threat to elections.