diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
index fa9d7cb..fd8afb7 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/consistent/impl/DistributedLeadershipManager.java
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@
     private static final int DELAY_BETWEEN_LEADER_LOCK_ATTEMPTS_SEC = 2;
     private static final int LEADERSHIP_STATUS_UPDATE_INTERVAL_SEC = 2;
     private static final int DELAY_BETWEEN_STALE_LEADERSHIP_PURGE_ATTEMPTS_SEC = 2;
-    private static final int LEADER_CANDIDATE_POS = 0;
 
     private final AtomicBoolean staleLeadershipPurgeScheduled = new AtomicBoolean(false);
 
@@ -303,7 +302,7 @@
                                     newCandidates.version(),
                                     newCandidates.creationTime())));
             } else {
-                log.warn("Failed to withdraw from candidates list. Will retry");
+                log.warn("Failed to withdraw from candidates list for {}. Will retry", path);
                 retryWithdraw(path, future);
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -403,10 +402,11 @@
         try {
             candidateMap.entrySet().forEach(entry -> {
                 String path = entry.getKey();
-                List<NodeId> candidates = entry.getValue().value();
+                Versioned<List<NodeId>> candidates = entry.getValue();
+                // for active topics, check if this node can become a leader (if it isn't already)
                 if (activeTopics.contains(path)) {
                     lockExecutor.submit(() -> {
-                        Leadership leadership = electLeader(path, candidates);
+                        Leadership leadership = electLeader(path, candidates.value());
                         if (leadership != null) {
                             CompletableFuture<Leadership> future = pendingFutures.remove(path);
                             if (future != null) {
@@ -415,6 +415,14 @@
                         }
                     });
                 }
+                // Raise a CANDIDATES_CHANGED event to force refresh local candidate board
+                // and also to update local listeners.
+                // Don't worry about duplicate events as they will be suppressed.
+                onLeadershipEvent(new LeadershipEvent(LeadershipEvent.Type.CANDIDATES_CHANGED,
+                                                      new Leadership(path,
+                                                                     candidates.value(),
+                                                                     candidates.version(),
+                                                                     candidates.creationTime())));
             });
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.debug("Failure electing leaders", e);
@@ -579,12 +587,6 @@
                             SERIALIZER::encode);
                 }
             });
-            candidateBoard.forEach((path, leadership) -> {
-                LeadershipEvent event = new LeadershipEvent(LeadershipEvent.Type.CANDIDATES_CHANGED, leadership);
-                clusterCommunicator.broadcast(event,
-                        LEADERSHIP_EVENT_MESSAGE_SUBJECT,
-                        SERIALIZER::encode);
-            });
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.debug("Failed to send leadership updates", e);
         }