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Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has given her party's Inala candidate "the same advice my father gave me" in a rare public foray at the Inala polling booths.
It is the first time in more than 30 years a Palaszczuk won't hold state Labor's safest seat.
Ms Palaszczuk's father Henry Palaszczuk was Inala's member from 1992, until she succeeded him in 2006.
She stood down as premier and Inala member last December.
Speaking exclusively to the ABC at the polls with Labor candidate Margie Nightingale, Ms Palaszczuk said the day was about "new beginnings".
"I'm going to give her the same advice that my father gave me, and that is: Whoever comes through your door always comes there for a reason and to treat everyone with respect and to make sure that you really listen because they've come to you for help.
"So if Margie does that, she'll be a very, very good local member," she said.
Ms Nightingale has seven challengers: the LNP's Trang Yen, four independents and the Greens and Legalise Cannabis Party.
Inala by-election candidates
Independent: Linh Nguyen
Linh Nguyen was the Queensland chapter vice president of the Vietnamese Community in Australia and has also worked for non-profit organisations. She is an advocate for people with disabilities and is involved in the Pushing Barriers charity, which helps disadvantaged children play organised sport.
Independent: Chris Simpson
Chris Simpson is a tradesman turned project manager who has a master's in project management from QUT and a passion for renewable energy. He was an Australian Democrat candidate for the Senate in 2022.
Labor: Margie Nightingale
Margie Nightingale has worked as a nurse and a teacher. She has been an adviser to Speaker of the House Milton Dick, and more recently as a policy officer for his brother, Deputy Premier Cameron Dick.
LNP: Trang Yen
Trang Yen has worked for the Queensland government, including the Housing Commission and the Department of State Development, and has been the acting chief financial officer for Trade Investment Queensland. She is currently the President of the Inala-based Vietnamese Football Association of Queensland.
Legalise Cannabis Queensland: Nigel David Quinlan
Nigel Quinlan previously contested this seat for the Greens in 2004 and for Legalise Cannabis at the 2020 state election. At the 2022 federal election, he was his party's candidate for the outer northern Brisbane seat of Longman.
Independent: Nayda Hernandez
Nayda Hernandez has held executive positions in the Lions Club of Inala, Hub Community Projects, Queensland Multicultural Council, and Wolston Park Cricket Club. She is currently the business and community development manager for local news publications and the Queensland chapter of the Vietnamese Community in Australia.
Greens: Navdeep Singh Sidhu
Navdeep Singh Sindu is a mechanical engineer with a post-graduate certificate in environmental engineering. He has worked in technical and management roles in Australia and overseas, and has run small businesses in the automotive and food industries. He was the Greens candidate for Inala at the 2017 election and for neighbouring Jordan in 2020.
Independent: Edward Carroll
Edward Carroll is the state president of the yet to be registered Queensland Progressives and so will appear on the ballot paper with no party affiliation. He has an advanced diploma of jazz and a bachelor of arts majoring in international relations and psychology.
Ms Nightingale, a former teacher, said she stood on "great shoulders".
"It's about continuing to make progress. So for me, I'll be looking at doing that and I understand what this community needs and I'm ready to listen and I'm really ready to do the hard work."
Ms Yen, the acting chief financial officer for Trade Investment Queensland, said she was the underdog but "pushing hard".
"They want change, so a fresh face, they want a leader that's there for them and care for them.
"Youth crime is the number one issue at the moment as well as cost of living.
"We're working very hard, and I have a great team behind us."
Ipswich West, another Labor stronghold, is also being decided today.
The seat, which Labor hold with a 14.3 per cent margin, has come into play after MP Jim Madden resigned to run for Ipswich City Council.
It is a comfortable margin for Labor but One Nation has polled strongly here in the past.
'Hard for government, easy for opposition'
The seat has four candidates with One Nation and the LNP preferencing each other.
Ipswich West candidates
Legalise Cannabis Queensland: Melody Lindsay
Melody Lindsay is the Vice President of the Legalise Cannabis Queensland Party Management Committee. She has also studied herbalism, counselling and is currently working on legal studies. She lost her partner to suicide and has experienced homelessness as a single mother. She has worked in education and youth detention.
LNP: Darren Zanow
Darren Zanow studied horticulture while working on his parent's cattle and crop farms in the Ipswich region. Zanow was managing director of the family concrete and quarry company when he sold the business in 2022. He is well known in the district as the President of the Ipswich Show Society and a board member of the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Societies.
One Nation: Mark Bone
Mark Bone has run a 'Rent-A-Ute' franchise and operated a business in the finance sector. He now runs a marketing business for builders of homes under the NDIS.
Labor: Wendy Bourne
A former principal adviser for former premier Annastacia Palszczuk, Wendy Bourne has served as president of the Rosewood and District Kindergarten, and has been president of the Ipswich Grammar school P&F, later serving on the board of trustees.
Speaking at the polls with ALP candidate Wendy Bourne, Premier Steven Miles said he was prepared for a swing against the government.
"Obviously, we listen to people, we listen to Queenslanders and there'll be a message in this result for us," he said.
"But part of that message will always be that by-elections are hard for governments, easy for oppositions, and we should expect a swing."
Ms Bourne said she was "looking forward to the result," adding "but obviously it'll be up to the people of Ipswich West".
'Wrong direction'
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the by-election won't change the government, but would change "how it conducts itself".
"We're under no illusion about how tough the task is. But it is important that we have a strong showing to show the government that the state under their direction is heading in the wrong direction," he said.
His candidate Darren Zanow said voters should "come down and send a message to Labor".
"It's not good enough with the cost-of-living crisis we have, not good enough with the crime crisis that we are enduring right now."