Leader election in a server group requires that all member servers transmit timestamped ballots to each other. Therefore, it is crucial that all member servers agree on the time, regardless of their local time zones.

To ensure leader election functions correctly, all member servers must use the Network Time Protocol (NTP) or a similar method to stay synchronized within a few seconds of each other. If a server receives a ballot with an invalid timestamp, it will discard it, which is equivalent to the server not submitting a ballot at all. This may result in all servers being stuck in either active (leading) or standby mode, depending on the quorum strategy selected.