diff --git a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/LeaderElection.java b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/LeaderElection.java
index da9c513486..af25ae9126 100644
--- a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/LeaderElection.java
+++ b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/LeaderElection.java
@@ -241,6 +241,10 @@ public void run() {
     }
 
     try (AutoCloseable ignored = Timekeeper.start(server.getLeaderElectionMetrics().getLeaderElectionTimer())) {
+      if (!server.isRunning()) {
+        LOG.info("{}: skip since the server is not running", this);
+        return;
+      }
       for (int round = 0; shouldRun(); round++) {
         if (skipPreVote || askForVotes(Phase.PRE_VOTE, round)) {
           if (askForVotes(Phase.ELECTION, round)) {
diff --git a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/RaftServerImpl.java b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/RaftServerImpl.java
index 8833011f59..620a71d5bd 100644
--- a/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/RaftServerImpl.java
+++ b/ratis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/ratis/server/impl/RaftServerImpl.java
@@ -1911,4 +1911,8 @@ public RaftServerMetricsImpl getRaftServerMetrics() {
   void onGroupLeaderElected() {
     transferLeadership.complete(TransferLeadership.Result.SUCCESS);
   }
+
+  boolean isRunning() {
+    return startComplete.get() && lifeCycle.getCurrentState() == State.RUNNING;
+  }
 }