Qlders to vote in 'dirty' local elections

Queenslanders are set to vote in the "dirtiest" local government elections in decades.

Voters go to the polls on Saturday following a campaign filled with vicious mud-slinging, social media attacks and suspect referrals to the state's corruption watchdog.

Two candidates have also become embroiled in scandals, with one councillor admitting he used his work devices to record sex romps and a council hopeful resigning over explicit photographs exchanged with a teenager.

But many candidates have had their names dragged through the mud over totally baseless allegations.

Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) CEO Greg Hallam said it was the first time social media had been truly utilised in the state's council elections and some of the claims would be humorous if they weren't so serious.

"I'm a 30-year veteran and I've never seen anything like this," he told AAP.

"It's just horrible ... there are real people on the end of this."

There have been bizarre sex allegations, claims of harassment, strange accusations about the reburying of toxic waste and large-scale thefts of election signs.

Fraser Coast Mayor Gerard O'Connell, a married man with children, and his council CEO were even forced to publicly deny having an "improper relationship" to put a stop to vile rumours.

Mr Hallam said state MPs Rob Pyne and Ian Rickuss had also joined in the smearing, with the former using the cover of parliamentary privilege and the latter using mass mailouts to "trash" the names of council figures.

The campaign has been so nasty it has prompted the local government authority to look at establishing an independent election monitor to call out baseless attacks at future council elections.

The monitor, headed by a retired judge or other respected figure, would expose those who threw mud just to damage their opponent.

"For people who are vexatious or malicious, we have to ensure the bucket is dropped on them," Mr Hallam said.

The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) is also looking at whether to make it an offence to disclose a referral in a bid to prevent vexatious complaints.

The watchdog has determined many complaints made against councillors and mayors, including Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk who was accused of a "secret land deal", did not warrant investigation.

Mr Quirk's campaign was dealt another blow when councillor candidate Ashley Higgins quit after allegedly exchanging explicit photographs with a 17-year-old boy who attended a school where he had previously been campus minister.

The allegations came to light a week after Redland City councillor Craig Ogilvie admitted he had pornographic images and personal sex acts on his work devices.

Mr Ogilvie said the only thing he was guilty of, if anything, was being red-blooded and thought the information that had been aired was private.

Voters will decide if Mr Ogilvie keeps his job.

A record 1787 candidates are standing in the 77 council races across the state and a number of mayors are retiring.

Queenslanders will also vote in a referendum to increase the state's current parliamentary terms from three to four years.

The Lockyer Valley Regional Council election has been delayed until April 16 following the death of popular mayor Steve Jones.