Incumbent Greens councillor Kathy Rice looks poised to return to her seat and she has helped to secure a another spot for her party.

Jodi Keast is set to be a new face on the council, which has nine councillors and no wards. Councillors will vote for the mayor.

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Based on first preferences and about 12,400 votes counted as of Sunday 5pm, the Greens have won 24 per cent.

The women hope that after preference distribution their running mate Tanya George will also be elected.

Cr Rice said she was pleased with the result and believed the vote reflected what constituents had been telling her throughout the campaign.

"People wanted change and I wondered if that meant a lot of new faces ... but it seems the change they were seeking was what we could offer as Greens councillors," she said.

Ms Keast added Kiama residents had "spoken loud and clear about wanting change", adding they hoped for councillors they could trust and who reflected the diversity of the community.

"I am elated to be elected," she said. "I must acknowledge that my success in the election is partly from riding on the coattails of past Greens' councillors who have cared for the environment and put the community first.

"I am looking forward to working with the new councillors to build a better community."

Cr Rice has been the only female councillor for nine years and she is looking forward to welcoming more woman into the council chambers.

"It looks like four, possibly five women, have been elected which is such a turn around from the previous term," Cr Rice said.

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Independent S.A.F.E. Kiama candidate Karen Renkema-Lang is expected to join the council after so far securing more than 11 per cent of the votes counted.

Ms Renkema-Lang previously told the Mercury she was committed to safeguarding the community and wanted to ensure the new council was sensible with money, accountable with decision making, values fair planning, and championed a responsible stand on the environment.

While Labor's Imogen Draisma seems to also have secured her seat after running on a campaign of wanting to achieve diversity on the council and fiscal responsibility.

Incumbent councillor Matt Brown, who ran on the We Love Kiama Gerringong Jamberoo ticket and Mark Coxford from the Independent Your Community Candidates party are also likely to be elected.

Independent candidate Neil Reilly is not out of contention and neither is another independent Warren Steel.

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