diff --git a/pkg/election/doc.go b/pkg/election/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6982d3ec8aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/election/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// Package election provides interfaces used for master election.
+package election
diff --git a/pkg/election/etcd_master.go b/pkg/election/etcd_master.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f9e7dd1aeae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/election/etcd_master.go
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package election
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/util"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
+	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
+	"github.com/golang/glog"
+)
+
+// NewEtcdMasterElector returns an implementation of election.MasterElector backed by etcd
+func NewEtcdMasterElector(h tools.EtcdGetSet) MasterElector {
+	return &etcdMasterElector{etcd: h}
+}
+
+type empty struct{}
+
+// internal implementation struct
+type etcdMasterElector struct {
+	etcd   tools.EtcdGetSet
+	done   chan empty
+	events chan watch.Event
+}
+
+// Elect implements the election.MasterElector interface
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) Elect(path, id string) watch.Interface {
+	e.done = make(chan empty)
+	e.events = make(chan watch.Event)
+	go util.Forever(func() { e.run(path, id) }, time.Second*5)
+	return e
+}
+
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) run(path, id string) {
+	masters := make(chan string)
+	errors := make(chan error)
+	go e.master(path, id, 30, masters, errors, e.done)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case m := <-masters:
+			e.events <- watch.Event{
+				Type:   watch.Modified,
+				Object: m,
+			}
+		case e := <-errors:
+			glog.Errorf("error in election: %v", e)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ResultChan implements the watch.Interface interface
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) ResultChan() <-chan watch.Event {
+	return e.events
+}
+
+// extendMaster attempts to extend ownership of a master lock for TTL seconds
+// returns "", nil if extension failed
+// returns id, nil if extension succeeded
+// returns "", err if an error occurred
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) extendMaster(path, id string, ttl uint64, res *etcd.Response) (string, error) {
+	// If it matches the passed in id, extend the lease by writing a new entry.
+	// Uses compare and swap, so that if we TTL out in the meantime, the write will fail.
+	// We don't handle the TTL delete w/o a write case here, it's handled in the next loop
+	// iteration.
+	_, err := e.etcd.CompareAndSwap(path, id, ttl, "", res.Node.ModifiedIndex)
+	if err != nil && !tools.IsEtcdTestFailed(err) {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if err != nil && tools.IsEtcdTestFailed(err) {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	return id, nil
+}
+
+// becomeMaster attempts to become the master for this lock
+// returns "", nil if the attempt failed
+// returns id, nil if the attempt succeeded
+// returns "", err if an error occurred
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) becomeMaster(path, id string, ttl uint64) (string, error) {
+	_, err := e.etcd.Create(path, id, ttl)
+	if err != nil && !tools.IsEtcdNodeExist(err) {
+		// unexpected error
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if err != nil && tools.IsEtcdNodeExist(err) {
+		return "", nil
+	}
+	return id, nil
+}
+
+// handleMaster performs one loop of master locking
+// on success it returns <master>, nil
+// on error it returns "", err
+// in situations where you should try again due to concurrent state changes (e.g. another actor simultaneously acquiring the lock)
+// it returns "", nil
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) handleMaster(path, id string, ttl uint64) (string, error) {
+	res, err := e.etcd.Get(path, false, false)
+
+	// Unexpected error, bail out
+	if err != nil && !tools.IsEtcdNotFound(err) {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	// There is no master, try to become the master.
+	if err != nil && tools.IsEtcdNotFound(err) {
+		return e.becomeMaster(path, id, ttl)
+	}
+
+	// This should never happen.
+	if res.Node == nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("unexpected response: %#v", res)
+	}
+
+	// We're not the master, just return the current value
+	if res.Node.Value != id {
+		return res.Node.Value, nil
+	}
+
+	// We are the master, try to extend out lease
+	return e.extendMaster(path, id, ttl, res)
+}
+
+// Master provices a distributed master election lock, maintains lock until failure, or someone sends something in the done channel
+// The basic algorithm is:
+// while !done
+//   Get the current master
+//   If there is no current master
+//      Try to become the master
+//   Otherwise
+//      If we are the master, extend the lease
+//      If the master is different than the last time through the loop, report the master
+//   Sleep 80% of TTL
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) master(path, id string, ttl uint64, masters chan<- string, errors chan<- error, done <-chan empty) {
+	lastMaster := ""
+	for {
+		master, err := e.handleMaster(path, id, ttl)
+		if err != nil {
+			errors <- err
+		} else if len(master) == 0 {
+			continue
+		} else if master != lastMaster {
+			lastMaster = master
+			masters <- master
+		}
+		// TODO: Add Watch here, skip the polling for faster reactions
+		// If done is closed, break out.
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+			return
+		case <-time.After(time.Duration((ttl*8)/10) * time.Second):
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// ResultChan implements the watch.Interface interface
+func (e *etcdMasterElector) Stop() {
+	close(e.done)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/election/etcd_master_test.go b/pkg/election/etcd_master_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5e342153f4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/election/etcd_master_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package election
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/tools"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
+	"github.com/coreos/go-etcd/etcd"
+)
+
+func TestEtcdMasterOther(t *testing.T) {
+	path := "foo"
+	etcd := tools.MakeFakeEtcdClient(t)
+	etcd.Set(path, "baz", 0)
+	master := NewEtcdMasterElector(etcd)
+	w := master.Elect(path, "bar")
+	result := <-w.ResultChan()
+	if result.Type != watch.Modified || result.Object.(string) != "baz" {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected event: %#v", result)
+	}
+	w.Stop()
+}
+
+func TestEtcdMasterNoOther(t *testing.T) {
+	path := "foo"
+	e := tools.MakeFakeEtcdClient(t)
+	e.TestIndex = true
+	e.Data["foo"] = tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
+		R: &etcd.Response{
+			Node: nil,
+		},
+		E: &etcd.EtcdError{
+			ErrorCode: tools.EtcdErrorCodeNotFound,
+		},
+	}
+	master := NewEtcdMasterElector(e)
+	w := master.Elect(path, "bar")
+	result := <-w.ResultChan()
+	if result.Type != watch.Modified || result.Object.(string) != "bar" {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected event: %#v", result)
+	}
+	w.Stop()
+}
+
+func TestEtcdMasterNoOtherThenConflict(t *testing.T) {
+	path := "foo"
+	e := tools.MakeFakeEtcdClient(t)
+	e.TestIndex = true
+	// Ok, so we set up a chain of responses from etcd:
+	//   1) Nothing there
+	//   2) conflict (someone else wrote)
+	//   3) new value (the data they wrote)
+	empty := tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
+		R: &etcd.Response{
+			Node: nil,
+		},
+		E: &etcd.EtcdError{
+			ErrorCode: tools.EtcdErrorCodeNotFound,
+		},
+	}
+	empty.N = &tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
+		R: &etcd.Response{},
+		E: &etcd.EtcdError{
+			ErrorCode: tools.EtcdErrorCodeNodeExist,
+		},
+	}
+	empty.N.N = &tools.EtcdResponseWithError{
+		R: &etcd.Response{
+			Node: &etcd.Node{
+				Value: "baz",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	e.Data["foo"] = empty
+	master := NewEtcdMasterElector(e)
+	w := master.Elect(path, "bar")
+	result := <-w.ResultChan()
+	if result.Type != watch.Modified || result.Object.(string) != "bar" {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected event: %#v", result)
+	}
+	w.Stop()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/election/master.go b/pkg/election/master.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..14b16da5564
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/election/master.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package election
+
+import (
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
+)
+
+// MasterElector is an interface for services that can elect masters.
+// Important Note: MasterElectors are not inter-operable, all participants in the election need to be
+//  using the same underlying implementation of this interface for correct behavior.
+type MasterElector interface {
+	// RequestMaster makes the caller represented by 'id' enter into a master election for the
+	// distributed lock defined by 'path'
+	// The returned watch.Interface provides a stream of Master objects which
+	// contain the current master.
+	// Calling Stop on the returned interface relinquishes ownership (if currently possesed)
+	// and removes the caller from the election
+	Elect(path, id string) watch.Interface
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools.go b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools.go
index 9c5e4e10a6b..a77fdb36f5d 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/etcd_tools.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/etcd_tools.go
@@ -91,16 +91,16 @@ func IsEtcdNotFound(err error) bool {
 	return isEtcdErrorNum(err, EtcdErrorCodeNotFound)
 }
 
-// IsEtcdTestFailed returns true iff err is an etcd write conflict.
-func IsEtcdTestFailed(err error) bool {
-	return isEtcdErrorNum(err, EtcdErrorCodeTestFailed)
-}
-
 // IsEtcdNodeExist returns true iff err is an etcd node aleady exist error.
 func IsEtcdNodeExist(err error) bool {
 	return isEtcdErrorNum(err, EtcdErrorCodeNodeExist)
 }
 
+// IsEtcdTestFailed returns true iff err is an etcd write conflict.
+func IsEtcdTestFailed(err error) bool {
+	return isEtcdErrorNum(err, EtcdErrorCodeTestFailed)
+}
+
 // IsEtcdWatchStoppedByUser returns true iff err is a client triggered stop.
 func IsEtcdWatchStoppedByUser(err error) bool {
 	return etcd.ErrWatchStoppedByUser == err
diff --git a/pkg/tools/fake_etcd_client.go b/pkg/tools/fake_etcd_client.go
index 257b5907047..58e7d68461f 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/fake_etcd_client.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/fake_etcd_client.go
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ import (
 type EtcdResponseWithError struct {
 	R *etcd.Response
 	E error
+	// if N is non-null, it will be assigned into the map after this response is used for an operation
+	N *EtcdResponseWithError
 }
 
 // TestLogger is a type passed to Test functions to support formatted test logs.
@@ -92,6 +94,15 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) generateIndex() uint64 {
 	return f.ChangeIndex
 }
 
+// Requires that f.Mutex be held.
+func (f *FakeEtcdClient) updateResponse(key string) {
+	resp, found := f.Data[key]
+	if !found || resp.N == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	f.Data[key] = *resp.N
+}
+
 func (f *FakeEtcdClient) AddChild(key, data string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Response, error) {
 	f.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer f.Mutex.Unlock()
@@ -103,6 +114,7 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) AddChild(key, data string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Response,
 func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Get(key string, sort, recursive bool) (*etcd.Response, error) {
 	f.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer f.Mutex.Unlock()
+	defer f.updateResponse(key)
 
 	result := f.Data[key]
 	if result.R == nil {
@@ -161,6 +173,7 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) setLocked(key, value string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Respons
 func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Set(key, value string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Response, error) {
 	f.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer f.Mutex.Unlock()
+	defer f.updateResponse(key)
 
 	return f.setLocked(key, value, ttl)
 }
@@ -182,6 +195,7 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) CompareAndSwap(key, value string, ttl uint64, prevValue
 
 	f.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer f.Mutex.Unlock()
+	defer f.updateResponse(key)
 
 	if !f.nodeExists(key) {
 		f.t.Logf("c&s: node doesn't exist")
@@ -206,6 +220,7 @@ func (f *FakeEtcdClient) CompareAndSwap(key, value string, ttl uint64, prevValue
 func (f *FakeEtcdClient) Create(key, value string, ttl uint64) (*etcd.Response, error) {
 	f.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer f.Mutex.Unlock()
+	defer f.updateResponse(key)
 
 	if f.nodeExists(key) {
 		return nil, EtcdErrorNodeExist