Embattled Bainbridge City Councilman Ron Peltier announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election to the city council.

Peltier, a self-described “maverick” on the council who was elected to the District 1 position in November 2015, said he has been a target of “increasingly vicious attacks” in recent months.

“During my time on city council, I have focused on changing the way things are done at the city, from land development, to scrutinizing city projects,” Peltier said in a press release to the Review.

“In my term, I have continuously worked to protect our island from excessive, poor quality development, and been a strong voice for transparency and honesty in government dealings,” Peltier continued.

“Challenging the status quo has sometimes found me with a target on my back that has resulted in unrelenting and increasingly vicious attacks over the past months. This has continued to take its toll on my family and me,” he added.

Peltier said that he was making the announcement now so “good people who truly care about our city will step up to run for the Bainbridge Island City Council.”

Two islanders have already announced election bids to claim the seat now held by Peltier.

Former city councilwoman and mayor Kirsten Hytopoulos, and Anthony Oddo, currently the chairman of the city’s Marine Access Committee, recently announced there were running for the position.

Had Peltier ran for the position, he would have needed to be one of the top two finishers in the Primary Election to advance to the November ballot.

Peltier has been hit with a string of ethics complaints since late last year, that have detailed instances of bullying behavior and potential conflicts of interest.

Several of the ethics complaints have prompted posts on social media calling for Peltier to resign.