starts no heartbeat: times out, starts election wins votes from a majority times out again: new term, new election hears a leader or a higher term hears a higher term: steps down Follower Candidate Leader
  • Follower→Candidatetimes out with no heartbeat, starts an election
  • Candidate→Leaderwins votes from a majority
  • Candidate↻Candidatetimes out again: new term, new election
  • Candidate→Followerhears a leader or a higher term
  • Leader→Followerhears a higher term: steps down

Time is cut into terms; each starts with an election

term 1S2 leads
term 2S2 crashes; S4 leads
term 3split vote
term 4S1 leads
electionnormal operation under one leader