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Colorado Rejects Federal Request to Transfer Tina Peters — She Will Remain in State Custody

Colorado says it will not initiate a transfer of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters to federal custody after the Bureau of Prisons requested that step on Nov. 12. Peters, 70, is serving a nine-year sentence in Pueblo after being convicted of a scheme to access voting machine data linked to false 2020 election fraud claims. The transfer request was released with heavy redactions and officials have not explained its purpose. The episode has amplified tensions between election officials, Peters' supporters, and state leaders.

07:27 AM, 11/27/2025Politics
Colorado Rejects Federal Request to Transfer Tina Peters — She Will Remain in State Custody

Colorado officials confirmed Wednesday that they do not plan to transfer former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters from state to federal custody after the Federal Bureau of Prisons submitted a request on Nov. 12. The Colorado Department of Corrections said it did not initiate the move and is not seeking a transfer.

Peters, 70, is serving a nine-year sentence at a state prison in Pueblo after being convicted last year of orchestrating a scheme to access voting machine data based on false claims about the 2020 election.

The Bureau of Prisons' request was released by the state with heavy redactions; state officials said further disclosure would be "contrary to the public interest." The federal agency declined to comment.

"Transferring an individual is an action initiated by the Colorado Department of Corrections, not an outside entity," department spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia said in an email.

The transfer request and the redactions have fueled public debate. Peters has become a rallying point for election conspiracy supporters, and former President Donald Trump renewed calls over the weekend for her release. One of Peters' attorneys, Peter Ticktin, suggested on Steve Bannon's podcast that the military could be used to free her from prison. Another attorney, John Case, claimed state officials prefer to keep Peters in state custody "where she cannot testify or speak publicly" about election software.

County clerks across Colorado — from different political parties — say Peters' actions have increased threats and made their work more dangerous by undermining trust in the voting system. They have urged Gov. Jared Polis to publicly reject any federal transfer and to speak directly with clerks about the matter.

In a statement, a governor's office spokesperson praised the integrity of Colorado's election system and said the governor welcomes a meeting with county clerks to discuss the request, while not explicitly ruling on the transfer. Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, noted that the Department of Corrections ultimately follows the governor's direction and said the agency's "open-ended" statement did not alleviate clerks' concerns.

As the state and federal agencies weigh next steps, the precise reason for the Bureau of Prisons' transfer request remains undisclosed, and the debate highlights broader tensions over election misinformation and prison custody decisions.

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