Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for load balance resources amongst computing nodes. Various embodiments of the present technology can be used to, prior to assigning a first data shard included in a first cluster of data shards as a leader of the first cluster of data shards, determine whether a first computing node storing the first data shard also stores a second data shard designated as a leader of a second cluster of data shards, yielding a determination, and when the determination indicates that the first computing node stores the second data shard designated as the leader of the second cluster of data shards, designate the first data shard as non-electable to be the leader of the first cluster of data shards and electing an alternate data shard included in the first cluster of data shards as the leader of the first cluster of data shards.