La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee said she was flooded with feelings of frustration and disappointment upon learning that Colorado Gov. Jared Polis cut former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peter’s prison sentence in half.
Peters, a 2020 election denier, was convicted by a jury in 2024 of tampering with voting machines and sentenced to nine years in prison. She was granted clemency by Polis on May 15. Peters is scheduled to be released on parole June 1. The governor’s decision has drawn national outrage from Republicans and Democrats alike.
All but one of Colorado’s 64 county clerks signed onto a statement that criticized the governor’s decision as capitulating to forces undermining democratic institutions, weakening the judicial system and eroding confidence in elections.
Peters gained national notoriety in election denial and conspiracy circles, where she has been portrayed as a hero and has been used as a pawn in political sparring between Colorado officials and President Donald Trump who has publicly pushed Polis to release her.
Peters has played a significant role in growing distrust of election systems and election workers and her early release signals that such actions carry few consequences and further emboldens election conspiracy theorists, Lee said.
“It sets the precedence that it’s OK to do what she’s done,” she said.
The governor’s decision was a blow to election workers across Colorado and the country, many of whom have spent years defending the integrity of elections amid escalating distrust since 2020, she said.
“This is just going to add fuel to that fire,” Lee said.
She said anger and suspicion directed at election officials have reshaped daily operations in her office. She pointed to the firebombing of the Archuleta County elections office and noted the suspect reportedly supported Peters. She also said threats and harassment have driven many election workers out of the profession.
The La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office has significantly increased security measures since 2020, though Lee declined to share specific details for safety reasons.
The office no longer maintains an open-door policy. For most of her tenure as clerk, residents could freely stop by her office to talk. Now, visitors must schedule appointments, sign in and receive credentials before meeting with staff members.
Despite the tension surrounding elections, Lee said she has received an outpouring of community support since Polis’ decision, a response that she said has been emotional and encouraging.
At the same time, Lee said she is increasingly concerned about what she described as “self voter suppression” – voters voluntarily disengaging from the election process because of fear and distrust.
Her office has seen an uptick in requests to withdraw from voter rolls around times when Trump issues executive orders having to do with elections.
The requests stem from a fear of election security measures, identification requirements or the possibility that their personal information could become public, she said. Others are concerned about federal access to voter data or do not want their names associated with public records.
Lee said she tries to reassure residents by explaining Colorado’s public records laws and emphasizing that Colorado, not the federal government, administers its own elections.
She urged voters not to disengage because of conspiracy theories or misinformation.
“We can’t let people get discouraged,” she said. “We need to just keep empowering them to get out and vote.”
jbowman@durangoherald.com
