There remains one vacancy on the six-member Ardlussa Community Board, a settlement between Lumsden and Waikaia, three for the six-member Oraka Aparima board and three for the seven-member Waihopai Toetoe board.
There are also two vacancies on the Oreti Community Board Makarewa subdivision, where no nominations had been received.
Following a representation review last year, Wallacetown lost its community board and was replaced by the new Oreti Community Board, which incorporates Wallacetown and covers the area up to Dipton.
That was appealed by the Wallacetown Community Board to the Local Government Commission, which upheld the council's decision.
The lack of nominations for the boards means the Southland District Council will need to run by-elections during the peak summer period.
Southland District Mayor Gary Tong said he was not overly concerned at the low candidate response in those four community boards, but it would put a ''wee bit of pressure'' on them, given they would not be complete until next year.
''They all have a quorum at this stage, other than Makarewa, where there were no nominations at all - one put her nomination in but it was a bit late.''
Mr Tong said the reasons for a lack of nominations this year was one being discussed by community boards around New Zealand.
''It comes down to time and it comes down to workload ... that gets hard when you're dealing with families and work and ... other commitments.
''There is no denying the role has changed so much in a short time.''
However, two Southland community boards had more nominations than seats available - there were 10 nominations for six vacancies for the Fiordland board and 12 nominations for six seats in Stewart Island Rakiura.
Mr Tong believed that was because the representation review extended boundaries in some areas, so people who had been ''sitting on the fringe'' of some boundaries were now eligible to seek election.
While having the by-election around peak summer was not the ideal timing, ''we can only do what we can do''.
Initial indications were that process should attract several nominations.
''There are a lot of people who have said they're going to stand, so good on them.''
Nominations open on November 25 and the by-elections will be held between December 23 and February 18.
