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Judge Rules in Favor of Removing Peters

Decision legally bars Peters from serving as DEO, after she allowed breaches to election security and disregarded rules
Community Submission
AP21224701763276
FILE—In this Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, file photograph, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold speaks during a news conference about the the state’s efforts to protect the process of casting a vote in the general election in downtown Denver. During a news conference Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, Griswold announced that Mesa County in western Colorado must replace its election equipment because it is no longer secure after a security breach in the county clerk’s office. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

NEWS RELEASE
COLORADO SECRETARY OF STATE JENA GRISWOLD
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DENVER, Colo– Today, a Mesa County Court Judge ruled in favor of removing Tina Peters as the Designated Election Official (DEO) and has granted the Secretary of State’s requests that Wayne Williams be appointed as the DEO and Sheila Reiner be appointed as the election supervisor for Mesa County.

A Designated Election Official is a person responsible for running elections for a local government, like a municipality or a county. They make determinations regarding elections issues for their municipality or county.

The Court’s decision legally bars Peters from serving as DEO, after she allowed breaches to election security, disregarded election rules and orders of the Secretary of State, and risked the integrity of Mesa county elections.

“Clerk Peters seriously compromised the security of Mesa County’s voting system. The Court’s decision today bars Peters from further threatening the integrity of Mesa’s elections and ensures Mesa County residents have the secure and accessible election they deserve,” said Secretary Jena Griswold. “As Secretary of State, I will continue to provide the support and oversight needed to ensure the integrity of Colorado’s elections.”

Although the Secretary of State’s Office can require supervision of a county clerk’s conduct, this legal action was necessary to ensure the removal of a sitting county clerk from acting as the Designated Election Official.

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