Full Breakdown
Colorado Governor Overrules Clemency Board to Release Election Official Tina Peters
6/19/2026, 5:50:41 AM
Clemency Overridden: Governor Polis Grants Release to Tina Peters
Governor Jared Polis granted clemency to Tina Peters, a former county clerk convicted of election tampering, despite the state's 11-person clemency advisory board voting unanimously twice to deny her request. The decision, announced in May 2026, ended her nine-year sentence.
Background: Colorado’s Secret Clemency Process
Colorado’s clemency board, appointed by the governor, meets in strict closed sessions, prohibits note-taking, and does not disclose deliberations. It serves as the final remedy after all appellate options are exhausted.
Key Figures & Groups
Governor Jared Polis; Tina Peters, 70, convicted of election-machine tampering; board members Hannah Seigel Proff, criminal-defense attorney appointed 2019, and Azra Taslimi, civil-rights lawyer appointed 2023; and the 11-member clemency board.
Timeline of Events
January 2026 – Board’s first closed session votes unanimously to deny Peters. February 2026 – Board reconvenes under political pressure, again votes unanimously to deny. May 2026 – Governor Polis overrides the board, grants clemency and releases Peters. Hours later she appears on Steve Bannon’s podcast, reiterating election-fraud claims.
Data & Statistics: Incarceration Disparities
Hispanic men are 21 % of Colorado’s population but 32 % of its male prison population; Black men are 4.5 % of the population yet 18 % of male inmates. A ProPublica study of federal pardons found white petitioners nearly four times more likely than minority petitioners to receive a pardon, with none of 62 Black applicants granted relief.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor Polis said he was moved by Peters’ admission of a mistake and deemed clemency appropriate. Board members emphasized that their mandate requires genuine accountability and reform, which they said Peters’ application lacked.
Criticism & Opposition
Hannah Seigel Proff and Azra Taslimi argued the governor’s override significantly undermines the board’s role, bypasses an active appellate process, and rewards political proximity, creating a two-tiered justice system that favors the powerful.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The board’s unanimous votes were made in secret, with no public record or explanation to applicants. The governor provided only a brief comment on Peters’ alleged mistake, leaving a transparency gap about the decision’s justification.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It really was a punch in the gut,” — Hannah Seigel Proff, Clemency Board member
- “It flies in the face of justice.” — Hannah Seigel Proff
- “What keeps us up at night is the contrast.” — Azra Taslimi
What’s Next
With months left in Polis’s term, hundreds of clemency applications remain pending, and the board warns that future gubernatorial overrides could further erode confidence in the remedy.
