Phone threats part of 'toxic' council election

These allegations come on top of claims of a candidate being run over, a candidate's partner taking photos of rival's volunteers and branding them as "rats" on social media and the use of union funds to pay for a truck-mounted billboard parked outside the pre-poll location.

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Ms Marsh said the call was related to the election but she did not believe another candidate was responsible.

In the wake of threatening phone calls, Kiama MP Gareth Ward has had enough.

"I have never seen, for a local council election such toxic and inappropriate behaviour," Mr Ward said.

He will write to the chair of the NSW committee on electoral matters to look into the Ward A campaign, which wraps on Saturday.

"I genuinely believe that if we want to see more women being involved in politics then you can't have this bullying and harassment going on."

At the start of the campaign, there were claims and counterclaims around an incident where Labor candidate Aarron Vann had his foot run over by rival candidate Marianne Saliba.

He alleged she ran into him, while she alleged he deliberately stuck his foot under the rear wheel.

Police were called to the incident but so far no charges have been laid.

Also, for much of the campaign, there has been a truck-mounted billboard parked outside the pre-poll booth, carrying attack ads directed against Ms Saliba and independent candidate Kellie Marsh.

It is funded by the United Services Union - Mr Vann is a union official and his father Gary Vann is the key USU official in the Illawarra.

"What concerns me is a so-called union that's supposed to be looking after workers' rights and defending workers is wasting money on this sort of rubbish," Ms Saliba said.

Ms Saliba has also alleged that the partner of Labor candidate Maree Edwards had taken photos of the former mayor's volunteers.

In at least once instance, her partner - Mick Moon - has posted a volunteer's image on social media beneath the caption "Saliba rat".

Ms Edwards said she hadn't seen the posts.

"I don't know what he's doing," Ms Edwards said.

"I don't know if your partner tells you everything but I don't. I'm too busy out here trying to win for the community."

Ms Edwards, also a USU member, said there wasn't an issue with union funds being used on the billboard truck.

"If they feel their members aren't being appropriately represented by those people, they have a right to try and support people who support workers and jobs in the area."

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