GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- As a petition gets closer to circulation to recall Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, the petition’s organizer, a former Mesa County Elections employee under the previous clerk, and the Eagle County official appointed to oversee the process, are speaking out.

Amanda Polson, the former Elections Director under former Mesa County Clerk Sheila Reiner, is behind the effort to recall Tina Peters.

“I worked at the clerk’s office for seven years so it’s something that’s very close to my heart,” Polson said. “After Tina took office I continued to watch even though I wasn’t working anymore . It really came to a head when those ballots were found.”

Polson left the elections division before Peters took office to pursue other work and insists she’s just looking out for the agency she used to work for.

“My personal feelings on the matter don’t come into play, and my politics on the matter don’t come into play,” Polson said. “Much like Tina I am a conservative.”

Colorado law says a designated election official must oversee a recall petition about a county clerk. So, Mesa County officials recently appointed the Eagle County treasurer.

Teak Simonton was appointed Monday by the Mesa County commissioners to oversee the recall petition of Tina Peters. She says her 14 year experience as Eagle County clerk before her current role as treasurer makes her right for the job.

“Yes, I’m a democrat but I was a county clerk for 14 years,” Simonton said. “And I know very well how important it is to be absolutely neutral and nonpartisan in all election processes.”

Simonton emphasizes neutrality with these kinds of processes is of the utmost importance to her.

“I never had a complaint from any of my republican testing board or canvas board members, or constituency, about the way I was conducting elections.”

For now Peters is focused on the June 30th primary and the work she’s done to improve the county departments she oversees.

“I love the people of Mesa County,” Peters said.” “They elected me to do my job as clerk and I will be here until they don’t want me here anymore.”

To hear more from Peters’ on the effort to recall her, view our story from Monday, June 1.