Colorado Governor Commutes Sentence for Former County Clerk Convicted of Election-Related Offenses

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced on Friday that he had commuted the sentence of a former county clerk convicted of felonies and misdemeanors tied to unauthorized access of voting data. The clerk is scheduled for release on June 1. The clerk served as county clerk in Mesa County, Colorado, during the 2020 election.

She signed documents affirming that all results in her county were in order. Later she ordered security cameras turned off and allowed an election-denial activist access to voting data from her county. She lied to staffers to obtain a badge for the activist under another person’s name.

When the data leaked, she falsely claimed ignorance. In 2024, she was convicted of four felonies and three misdemeanors and sentenced to almost nine years in prison.

A group representing Colorado county clerks opposed granting clemency, citing violent threats from her supporters. The governor’s clemency advisory board also did not recommend clemency after reviewing an apology she issued. The governor stated that the clerk was being penalized for casting doubt on the election.

He compared the situation to believing the earth is flat, noting that acting on such beliefs can be a crime.

The clerk ran for secretary of state in 2022.

Her social-media presence has continued to portray her as a persecuted whistleblower. The clemency decision comes at a time when some Democrats have emphasized the need for accountability for officials involved in election-related cases.