Saturday saw residents from all over the region cast their vote in the first council election since 2016.

Read more: Results could take a week as Shoalhaven votes

Hoping to be returned as mayor, Greens candidate Amanda Findley said she was enjoying being in Ulladulla on decision day.

"It's really great to be able to participate in democracy, particularly in your hometown," she said.

"It's been magic hanging out in Ulladulla today and seeing some old and new friends that I haven't seen for some time, it's a lovely vibe."

Here are some of the big issues voters raised with candidates on and in the days leading up to Saturday.

Housing

"We need affordable housing. We need to work to get the best kind of accommodation that we can get but I think people also do need to understand that we don't need gold standard, we need roofs over peoples' heads.

"I'm sick and tired of seeing people sleep everyday here at the civic centre and staying here overnight. We need to address the problem.

"It's time to stop the talkfest, it's about delivering on the ground." - Patricia White, Shoalhaven Independents

"One of the big issues young people raise is housing affordability. Housing affordability is going crazy because of the Sydney prices down here, that's pretty obvious." - Paul Green, independent

Development

"I think the main issues everyone is concerned with down here in Ulladulla are the roads, they are pretty shocking at the moment, and the Milton-Ulladulla bypass coming out at Burrill Lake.

"That announcement by Shelley Hancock and Andrew Constance on Friday about how they're going back to the drawing board has made so many people relieved." - Patricia White, Shoalhaven Independents

Proposed Shoalhaven Motorsport Complex

"If the right block of land can be found and people can find the funding and they bring the plan to council with backers, then council will have to consider it.

"If I am to be re-elected, I'll have to consider it as well. But at the moment, there's no money, there's no land. Council's spent over $300,000 on this project so far, and it's basically just been spinning wheels.

"I think that that's unfair to keep people dangling that this is a project that is going to go ahead in the immediate future when it can't even meet the basic conditions." - Amanda Findley, Greens

"People can coexist with our biodiversity. That's the issue here, why can't we coexist with it and make it educational, so not only a dedicated motorsport track to enjoy the sport, but you can also be taught about the incredible species that exists."

"It (the Yerriyong site) was absolutely appropriate...it was out of the residential area.

"This would have been on the circuit between Canberra which is really big in the motorsports scene. It would have been fantastic for jobs and attracting tourism." - Paul Green, independent

Vaccines

"I'm pro-choice. I'm a nurse by trade so I think people have the right to choose what goes in their body but I obviously encourage the idea of people protecting their health.

"I don't think people are trying to be unreasonable, vaccinated people are the same, they think you should have the right to say yes or no. Most people seem to say that it shouldn't be mandatory." - Paul Green, independent

We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.