A dollar's bet on Mr Ward via Sportsbet will return $1.12 if he wins the seat - the same bet on his closest rival Labor's Andy Higgins was paying $5 on Friday.

The first Liberal in history to be elected to represent Kiama in 2011 strengthened his voter base in 2015, picking up 52 per cent of first-preference votes, and ultimately beating Labor 59 to 41 in the two-party preferred result. 

Since then, major infrastructure projects have been completed in Kiama and Mr Ward's party has set aside $1 billion in the budget to fix the deadly Princes Highway south of Nowra, and $438 million to upgrade the Shoalhaven Hospital.

However, it has not been an easy term for Mr Ward, who inadvertently made national headlines during his trip to New York where he was robbed and when Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis accused him of bullying in her exit from politics.

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Every week for months Mr Ward says he has been setting his alarm clock earlier and earlier.

On Friday he woke at 3.30am, refusing to concede Kiama is a safe Liberal seat.

"Kiama is not a safe seat," Mr Ward said.

"I am no more comfortable now, than I was eight years ago, I am just as nervous today as I was on election day eight years ago."

Mr Higgins was feeling more zen about the election than Mr Ward on Friday.

"I am feeling calm, it's all going well," he said.

"It's a lot easier doing this [campaigning] now I'm not working 40 hours a week."

Mr Higgins took a couple of weeks of leave from work to spend time on pre-polling booths.

In order to gauge voter sentiment he said he was more interested in word of mouth, rather than polls or online data.

"I don't get into any of that [polling], it doesn't bother me. The swell on the ground is good," he said.

Once polling booths close at 6pm on Saturday, votes will be counted.

It is likely the wait for results will end that night.

Candidates will have a fair idea of where the vote will fall at about 7.30pm.

"I'm in it to win for my community," Mr Higgins said.

"Whatever their verdict may be, I will accept it," Mr Ward said.