Labor's ward one candidate team leader Nicole Moore said her team was disappointed with the decision because they had picked up some momentum but that everyone would agree public health was paramount.

"It's no surprise and I think it was a sensible decision to have been made," she said.

Labor had already spent money on distributing ward one election flyers and posters with September 4 printed on them when the election postponement was made.

Read more: New key dates set in the lead up to the postponed Shoalhaven elections

"It's just unfortunate the people of the Shoalhaven have to endure another three months of the same thing - the toxicity and the arguments in council," she said.

Shoalhaven Independent's mayor candidate Councillor Greg Watson said the momentum of every candidate's campaign had been lost.

"I think it's a tragedy," he said.

With over 90 per cent of Victorians voting via post, Cr Watson said there was no reason why NSW could not use that system.

"It came down to individuals in the [state] Liberal and Labor party who wanted to maintain the razzmatazz of the polling booths," he said.

"It's my view that the Premier should run legislation through to have at least the election in December by post - it could be a one off trial.

"It's a pretty sad sort of situation when you have candidates spend what money they have to campaign then the election is called off at worse than the 11^th hour."

Read more: Council elections pushed back from September to December 2021 as COVID-19 worsens

Mayor Amanda Findley who will be running again for mayor with her new team of Greens candidates said she was shocked when the news of the election's postponement was delivered.

"Only a couple of weeks ago I had a direct conversation with Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock who emphatically said we are going to have a COVID-19 election on September 4," said Cr Findley.

"But with the COVID numbers continuing to rise - it's not really a surprise that the government have taken this tact."

She said postponing the election made things more difficult for councillors with other work commitments and who already had their terms extended by a year.

"Now they've got another three months on what probably feels like a never ending sentence," she said.

"And there's no consultation with local government ... with state governments calling the shots, you're just going to a have to suck it up."

Community First leader Councillor Nina Digiglio said she thought the elections could have been held in September with mask use but that her team are "going with the flow".

"I'm going to look at it optimistically because it gives me time to do more preparation, to do more fund raising, and to work on my team because they're all new," she said.

Read more: In-person local government elections to go ahead despite worsening COVID-19 situation

Serena Copley's Ward 1 candidate team said the postponement announcement was an understandable decision.

"We're going to get on with it and take the opportunity to be able to meet more people across the Shoalhaven and we look forward to December 4," she said.