Gig Harbor Mayor Kit Kuhn Will Not Seek Re-Election

GIG HARBOR, WA — Gig Harbor Mayor Kit Kuhn will not be seeking re-election this November.

Kuhn announced his intentions through an op-ed published in the Peninsula Gateway, saying that while being Mayor of Gig Harbor had been "an honor and a privilege" he felt he had done all he could in the position.

In the post, Kuhn highlighted several accomplishments he's made since he was elected mayor, including:

• Preserving Soundview Forest
• Freeing up public parking downtown
• Revamping Gig Harbor's Tourism Department
• Tightening up city codes, aand closing developer loopholes

Kuhn was elected in 2017, earning an overwhelming 71% percent of the vote over incumbent mayor Jill Guernsey. But as the Gateway notes, his tenure was not without controversy: there have been several reports that Kuhn created a hostile work environment, including an incident where the city paid $27,000 to settle a discrimination complaint from Gig Harbor's former tourism and marketing director.

Kuhn has denied allegations and defended his treatment of staff, and told the Gateway that his decision not to seek re-election was not influenced by those controversies.

"Some decisions that you have to make with employees may not be popular as a whole," Kuhn said. "I am elected by the taxpayers and that is really who I am responsible to the most. "

Kuhn's position is one of several up for grabs in the 2021 election, including city councilmember positions 1, 2, 3, and 7. His current term will end in January.

Read Kuhn's full op-ed in the Peninsula Gateway.