What Voters Are Telling Me at the Door

I’ve been knocking on doors in Kitsap County for the past few days. Poulsbo first — my hometown — working my way through Liberty Bay Vista, up toward the high school, and down through town. More neighborhoods coming this week.

I want to tell you what I’m actually hearing. Not the polished version. The real version.

Nobody knows this office exists.

That’s not an exaggeration. Door after door, I introduce myself as a candidate for Kitsap County Clerk and I get a pause. Sometimes a polite nod. Sometimes a direct “what is that?” The office that manages every court record in the county, runs the jury system, processes protection orders, and certifies passports — most residents have never heard of it. That’s not their fault. It’s a failure of communication that’s been building for years. When they do know it, they have opinions.

The residents who’ve had to interact with the courthouse — for jury duty, for a filing, for a family legal matter — they have things to say. About how hard it was to find information. About showing up not knowing what to expect. About feeling like the system was built for people who already understood it, not for them. One person told me they arrived three hours early for jury duty because they were worried about parking and didn’t know what the morning would look like. Three hours. Because nobody told them what to expect in a simple, plain-language way. That’s a fixable problem. It just requires someone who thinks fixing it is worth their time.

The budget came up more than I expected.

Kitsap County commissioners project a $9.8 million countywide budget shortfall for 2027 alone. I didn’t bring it up — voters did. People are paying attention. They want to know whether the people running county offices understand the financial reality they’re operating in and have a plan for it. That’s a fair ask. People are ready for a choice.

This is only the third contested race for Kitsap County Clerk in nearly 30 years. When I tell people that, something shifts in the conversation. They didn’t know. And when they find out, most of them think it’s a problem. Uncontested races aren’t healthy democracy — they’re a gap in accountability. Voters deserve a choice on every line of their ballot.

I’m going to keep knocking. Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard — more neighborhoods, more conversations. If I knock on your door, open it. I genuinely want to hear what’s on your mind.

And if you’ve got a Mariners flag out front, clear your schedule.