The election of a key server is provided. The key server is a single device that broadcasts an encryption key to other devices in a network segment. Also, automatic reelection of a new key server is provided when a current key server becomes unavailable. Key receivers may separately detect that a new key server is needed and separately determine from state information which key receiver should be elected the new key server. The state information may have been received in previously sent messages. Thus, further messaging is not needed to elect a new key server.