Kiama is off to the polls for the third time in the space of 12 months and the good news for those suffering electoral fatigue, you should not have to return to the ballot box until March 2027.

Almost one year to the day after the Kiama Council elections and four months after the federal election, the state electorate will choose a fresh face to replace disgraced MP Gareth Ward.

The former Liberal then independent member for Kiama is in jail awaiting sentencing next Friday after he was found guilty of four sexual assault offences with his eventual resignation triggering the by-election.

Labor candidate Katelin McInerney, who narrowly lost the 2023 poll to Ward despite an 11% swing against him, is the clear frontrunner to emerge victorious after Saturday’s polling day.

The former journalist and campaigner for unions and not-for-profit organisations has been installed as an overwhelming favourite to get the nod ahead of the Liberal Party’s former Shoalhaven Councillor Serena Copley, Community Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds and Tonia Gray, representing The Greens.

Pre-polling opened last Saturday and closed on Friday. Voters can visit one of 22 electoral stations on Saturday with 60,391 people enrolled for the oddly shaped region which covers 2275 square kilometres from Albion Park to the region to the west of Nowra.

There are nine other candidates in a loaded ballot paper: independents Lisa Cotton, Cyrille Jeufo Keuheu, Roger Woodward and Andrew Thaler, and minor party representatives Don Fuggle (Legalise Cannabis Party), Ken Davis (Sustainable Australia), Felix Nelson (Shooters, Fishers, Farmers), Joshua Beer (Libertarian Party) and Ellie Robertson (Animal Justice Party).

They are not expected to garner too many votes but the distribution of their preferences could play a part in the final equation.

McInerney has been criticised by rivals of “pork barreling” for a wave of announcements during the month-long campaign involving NSW Cabinet Ministers and Premier Chris Minns after the Government had given the electorate short shrift during Ward’s abbreviated final term in office over the past two and a half years.

After missing out by just 689 votes last time around, McInerney is not counting her chickens before election day despite being the overwhelming favourite.

“I just feel like we've rolled on from the 2023 campaign because there's been work to get on with advocating for the community,” she said.

“With by-elections, it's always a bit of an unknown how it's going to go. But it's been really lovely. I've had the chance to just get out and talk to people, which is genuinely what I love doing.

“I'm not taking anything for granted, even into this end of the campaign and honestly, I’m just trying to make every conversation count. Because we've got a lot of work that we need to get on with.

“The more conversations we can have now, the better place we'll be, if I'm fortunate enough to be elected, to get in and get running.”

McInerney said she was perhaps a little shy in not wanting to chat with every potential voter last time around because she did not want to be seen to be imposing.

“I think I've got a bit more confidence going in and having that chat now, as in not worrying about not being shy. Last time I was thinking maybe people don't want to speak to me.

“But I learnt that actually everybody really does want to have a chat. It's very rare to find someone who doesn't want to speak to you about their concerns.

"And especially when you show up on the doorstep.

“Door knocking is the best part of the gig because you're on their doorstep, people are like, ‘oh, someone's here asking me, no one ever does that’.

“People are just genuinely shocked that you'd do it. And I'm like, wow, that should be the bare minimum.”