Tina Peters Set to Join California County as Elections Consultant

By Blessing Nweke

The former Colorado elections official and prominent election denier, is set to be hired as an elections consultant in Shasta County, California, a conservative area that has become a center of election-skeptic activism.

Shasta County registrar of voters Clint Curtis told the Guardian that he plans to bring Peters in as a temporary consultant to replace his deputy, Brent Turner, who has been on medical leave. Curtis said Peters would not have access to the county’s voting system, although he did not provide details about the specific duties she would perform.

The planned appointment has sparked strong criticism from election officials and political leaders. Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, questioned the decision to employ Peters as an election expert. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold also warned that Peters’ involvement could undermine confidence in election administration. California Senator Alex Padilla called for the hiring plan to be stopped.

Peters, who previously served as clerk and recorder of Mesa County, Colorado, was convicted in 2024 of four felonies and three misdemeanors linked to a breach of election equipment. She was sentenced to nine years in prison but was released in June after Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted her sentence. She remains on parole and requires permission to travel outside Colorado.

Shasta County has previously sought to replace Dominion voting machines with hand-counted ballots, a move blocked by California authorities. Voters also recently approved a measure seeking to restrict mail voting and require hand-counting, but a court has temporarily blocked its implementation.

The proposed appointment is expected to intensify the national debate over election administration and efforts to challenge confidence in voting systems ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.