Editor’s note: Since this race was covered before the primary election, Kitsap News Group is running candidate statements from the voters pamphlet rather than asking them the same questions as before.
A former city councilmember and a former state assistant attorney general are set to face off for the Bainbridge Island City Council – District 3 South Ward seat in the Nov. 4 general election, a four-year term that begins Jan. 1, 2026.
The candidates are former BI councilmember Sarah Blossom and former state assistant attorney general (2017-2021) Mike Nelson. The prevailing candidate will replace current councilmember Jon Quitlund, who did not file for re-election.
Blossom has previously served two terms on the BI council and has served on the Planning Commission since 2020. During her time on the council, she also served as the deputy mayor, Bainbridge Island Transportation Benefit District chair and council representative to Kitsap Health District Board between 2012 and 2017. Blossom is a former attorney, small business owner and a graduate of Seattle University.
Nelson served as the assistant attorney general between 2017 and 2021. He has also worked as an investment professional. He worked as a law clerk at the Snohomish County Superior Court for the former Superior Court Judge, Linda C. Krese. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington as well as a graduate degree from Georgetown University.
Below are each candidate’s statement from the voters pamphlet.
Blossom: With increasing pressure from the state to address the affordable housing crisis and increase the housing supply, we need experienced leadership to guide us through the difficult and demanding process of updating our Comprehensive Plan and development regulations to comply with new state mandates.
Experienced leadership is what I offer. I am a lifelong Bainbridge Island resident who cares deeply about the island’s past, present, and future. Having served two terms on the City Council and five years on the Planning Commission, I have helped steward our city through mounting growth pressures for the last 13 years and have extensive knowledge of our code.
I have demonstrated that I make balanced decisions and believe we should seize on opportunities, but be realistic about our limitations. I believe we can accommodate some growth where it makes sense, but need to be respectful of our limited water supply and limited infrastructure. We need to prioritize affordable housing and the preservation of the characteristics of Bainbridge Island that we all treasure — downtown Winslow’s small-town charm, the rural feel provided by our forests and farmland, and the connection to nature we experience through our many parks and open spaces.
Nelson: I am proud to call Bainbridge Island my home. My wife is from Bainbridge, and we are so excited to raise our family in this close-knit community. I am running for City Council to make sure that the beauty and special character of the island that exists now will still be there for my children.
We need new leadership on Bainbridge—leadership that practically plans for future growth without compromising our community’s character. I oppose the current City Council’s misguided plan to massively upzone Winslow and the surrounding area. Adding high-density Seattle-style condo complexes will destroy the special character of the island, strain existing infrastructure, cause congestion, and increase taxes, all without meaningfully addressing housing affordability.
I am a fourth-generation Washingtonian and grew up in Ballard. Like Bainbridge, Ballard was once an idyllic place with a small-town feel. Now, after widespread upzoning, Ballard has exchanged its unique character and sense of community for monotonous high-density condos, congestion, and prices that only went up. Don’t let Bainbridge become Ballard. Let’s keep Bainbridge Bainbridge.
I respectfully ask for your vote so that I can work to preserve the special character of Bainbridge Island while responsibly planning for the future.
