It is an issue that has troubled electoral officials for years: do NSW voters value their local council elections? And would a serving of Japanese fried octopus swing your vote this Saturday?

A voucher for a Japanese restaurant to the value of an octopus entree could now be at the centre of a NSW Electoral Commission investigation following alleged inducements for votes involving the ticket of the former Deputy Mayor of Hurstville, Nancy Liu.

Nancy Liu said she had no knowledge of the post and asked for it to be retracted. Credit:St George and Sutherland Shire Leader

In recent days, screenshots of a message sent by the employee of a local Hurstville travel agency owned by Ms Liu's husband via the popular Chinese social media messaging app WeChat, have been travelling around local political circles.

"Those [compatriots] voting for Group G [in the council elections] can come see me to get coupons for Hurstville['s] most authentic Japanese cuisine," a screenshot of the message, signed by "Vivienne – Goodtime Travel", reads, according to an accredited translation provided to Fairfax Media.