Tina Peters is the former county clerk of Mesa County, Colorado. She has become one of the most popular personas in the ongoing discourse related to election integrity and conspiracy theories regarding the 2020 US presidential election. Peters was made famous after being involved in a significant breach of election security protocols, which ultimately led to her conviction on multiple charges and receiving a nine-year prison sentence.
Background and rise to prominence
In 2017, Peters was elected the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder, putting her in charge of running elections in a county that favored Donald Trump during the 2020 election. After the election, Peters became more and more enmeshed with groups seeking to cast doubt on the outcome of the election, especially claims of pervasive voter fraud. Her identity with these conspiracy theories thickened when she attended events with luminaries including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell-one of the most ferocious purveyors of the false narrative that the election was stolen against Trump.
In May 2021, Peters is said to have helped with unauthorized access to her county’s election systems by allowing an associate of Lindell to take advantage of a security credential and access sensitive voting equipment. This placed serious questions over the security and integrity of the elections and thus came into the focus of state investigators.
Legal proceedings and conviction
In August 2024, a jury returned a guilty verdict on seven of ten charges stemming from her actions at the end of a weeks-long trial. Those included counts of:
- Attempting to influence a public servant
- Conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation
- First-degree official misconduct
- Violation of duty
- Failing to comply with an order from the Secretary of State
She was acquitted on the other three counts of impersonation and identity theft. The prosecution said Peters “conducted a deceitful scheme” designed to deceive public officials and compromise security protocols.
The trial revealed that, among other things, Peters had switched off cameras monitoring the area while allowing unauthorized access to the voting equipment, to include making copies of sensitive data from a Dominion Voting Systems computer. This act had been part of her bigger effort to support claims of election fraud.
Sentencing and reaction
On October 3, 2024, Judge Matthew Barrett sentenced Peters to nine years in prison. While sentencing, Judge Barrett castigated her for showing no remorse and told her she was “one of the most defiant defendants” he had ever seen. The judge emphasized that she caused significant harm to public confidence in election processes and that a prison sentence was necessary due to the severity of the crimes.
Peters had requested probation instead of a prison sentence. She argued that she had acted out of a good faith belief she was performing her duties as county clerk. Judge Barrett rejected those arguments, saying she abused her position to attain hard-earned fame and notoriety.
After sentencing, Peters remained defiant. Still convinced that widespread voter fraud was occurring, Peters said she was wrongly prosecuted.
Legacy and impact
The conviction of Tina Peters marks a turning point in the ongoing debate over election integrity across the United States. One of the first local election officials to be prosecuted for actions related to the alleged security breaches linked to unfounded conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, her conviction serves as a warning against meddling with electoral processes.
Peters has been embraced by far-right forces who have made her a martyr for their cause. Such support underlines profound divides within American society on the issue of election and governmental institution trust. In such a case, exposure of people in positions of authority to influence public perception can be used for the potential degradation of democratic processes through misinformation.
