Elections Director Testifies in Tina Peters Trial

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) – Mesa County Elections Director Brandi Bantz testified this morning in the trial of Tina Peters. Bantz has 20 years of experience in elections.

Bantz testified that Belinda Knisley, Peters’ deputy, sent the mandatory email invitation to the meeting. During the meeting, Tina and several others discussed voter fraud theories and strategies to get into the voting system.

“I’ve been taught by past leaders… that we should be impartial, so when it comes to expressing our views one way or another… We’re in the business of administering elections, so it’s good that we’re impartial. I think going into this event, people would think that I support these theories, and I don’t,” Bantz said.

Gerald Wood, a private-sector software engineer, also testified. Peters asked Wood to help build trust or software updates that were being made to voting systems. Wood’s name was on a list of people who entered the room where the voting equipment was located.

Wood was in the same room the same day the Mesa County passwords were recorded, according to the log. However, he claims he never entered the room and did not give Peters permission to use his key card.

Peters’ attorneys say Wood testified only after being granted immunity.

Peters faces 10 charges after being accused of manipulating voting machines in the 2020 election and causing a security breach. Video of a computer displaying Mesa County slogans was leaked online.