Playing protagonist:

Is having an election with low turnout more or less harmful than not having an election due to the fact the community could barely find 5 people who were willing to be on the council (4 +1 if nobody else stepped up)?

Isn't being worried that the turnout is going to be "low" almost admitting that those claims have some merit?

Really, unless some more people show interest in being on the council, necessitating an election, it's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.